Our Philosophy
We value sustainability in our systems and ingredients, and strive to generate as little waste as possible.
We are artists and craftspeople and we put creativity and deliciousness at the forefront of all we do. We prioritize seasonality, health, and local produce whenever possible. the goal is to make the best tasting product possible.
We find beauty in the diversity of faces in the food and beverage industry and we want to create hospitality focused opportunities for minority groups that allow us all to thrive equally and sustainably.
We promote healthy and sustainable work environments for bartenders and we want to foster long term career opportunities within our industry.
We are about creating lasting programming that will create an impression on each and every guest and client, and stand the test of time.
Christopher Longoria
Christopher Longoria’s career in San Francisco began in 2002, behind the bar at the Korean soju hotspot Rohan Lounge where he was recognized as “Best Bartender To Confess Your Sins To” by the San Francisco Bay Guardian. He moved on to acclaimed one star Michelin rated Aziza for five years as the Creative Bar Lead where he began to build the connection between the art of gastronomy and modern beverage. As Bar Manager, he led the restaurant 1760 (now Sorella), to become a popular cocktail destination in California through his culinary approach toward cocktail making. In 2015 he was named “Bar Star” by the San Francisco Chronicle, while the Bay Guardian deemed his cocktails “Best Creative” in 2014.
He later took the role as opening Bar Director of Che Fico; named as one of Bon Appetit’s top 10 Restaurants in the country in 2018. At Che Fico he developed a stronger sense of building program structure and working within the parameters of microclimates and hyper seasonality. He has collaborated with Virginia Miller of The Perfect Spot to create the bar program for Chef Dominique Crenn’s debut restaurant in Paris; Golden Poppy. Recently he led as Bar Director of Copra; a Kerlan inspired restaurant fusing Southern Indian and California cuisine and recently named as the #4 best restaurants in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle.
In 2025 he was recognized by the esteemed Michelin Guide with the “Exceptional Cocktails Award California” for leading the bar team at Eylan Restaurant in Menlo Park, CA. He currently advises Bar Orso by Merchant Roots, a cult favorite that highlights a thematic rotating menu. He is a partner in West Bev Consulting that has trained, created, and opened numerous beverage concepts and restaurants globally. He strongly believes knowledge, creating moments of hospitality, and building a warm, communicative culture is key to a successful operation.
Nora Furst
An award-winning bartender and drink creator, Nora has gladly devoted her life’s work to all things beverage and hospitality. Over the last decade, she has developed over 30 bar programs from Seattle to Oakland to Brazil. She currently spends her time as Operating Partner in Buddy (The Imbibe 75, 2022, Forbes Best Bars in America, 2023), a natural wine bar in SF with a focus on equitable hiring and pay structure.
She is an operating partner and bar and beverage consultant for a wide variety of clients up and down the West Coast with West Bev Consulting. She is inspired by provenance, diversity, terroir and process. Originally from Seattle, she now splits her time between San Francisco and Portland, OR.
Stephanie Gonnet
Stephanie is a Bay Area-born hospitality professional and credited bartender whose work moves fluidly between the bar, the dining room, and restaurant operations. She specializes in creative menu curation and education.
Her roots are in her family's French bakery and bistro, where early exposure to pastry, flavor, and service set her on her path. She brings more than 15 years of front and back of house experience to her work — from pubs and neighborhood spots to award-winning restaurants and everything in between.
She has a knack for design, organization, and sustainable problem solving, and she loves a good spreadsheet. She strives for smarter, less wasteful systems in bars and restaurants, and her deep understanding of the restaurant as a place of gathering permeates everything she touches.
David Kurtz
David is a hospitality strategist and restaurateur with more than twenty years of experience building Michelin-recognized restaurants, beverage programs, and hospitality concepts.
Classically trained in New York, David began his career working in both kitchens and dining rooms throughout the East Coast before relocating to California. He later became the chef and owner of multiple restaurants, gaining firsthand experience across every layer of restaurant operations; from culinary leadership and wine programs to front-of-house management, team development, and ownership.
This rare combination of experience across both the back and front of the house, combined with ownership-level responsibility, gives David a uniquely holistic understanding of the hospitality industry.
As Strategic Partner at West Bev, David focuses on hospitality concept development, design functionality, operational strategy, and the integration of elevated service standards. He works with chefs, restaurateurs, and hospitality groups to shape restaurant concepts from the ground up, ensuring that culinary vision, beverage programs, service culture, and operational systems align to create lasting hospitality experiences.