From Behind the Bar with Jessica Christensen, Graton Resort & Casino
Jessica Christensen
Jessica Christensen has been with Graton since 2013. A star bartender, she has excelled at guest service which led to her most recent promotion to Assistant Beverage Manager. She is the creative force behind new cocktail offerings and drink specials throughout the property and also works at the property’s bartending school, training and further developing all current and new team members.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Working inside the casino, it is very fast paced, I love focusing on creating cocktails that are not just easy to make, but beautiful as well. My favorite part is when I am doing a training and all our team gets to taste test new cocktails they will be serving, we get to talk about little tweaks they would make and adding their ideas into it, so it is always such a fun process for me.
What drink have you created and added to a menu recently?
I just recently revamped some of our cocktail menus at our main bars, one of my favorite drinks I have added on is at our Sky Bar called “Above the Clouds”. It is basically my take on a whiskey sour.
Above the Clouds
1 ¼ oz Makers Mark
½ oz Disaronno Amaretto
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
about ½ oz agave
¾ oz aquafaba
2 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake hard for about 15 seconds. Serve on the rocks with a lemon twist.
How do you stay up to date with current drink trends?
Social media is the easiest way to stay up to date with current drink trends. I could scan through cocktail pictures all day!
What would you change about the industry if you could?
If I could change anything about the industry it would be that more people understand that bartending/mixology are careers. If only I knew where I would be in this industry today back when I started out bartending as a 21-year-old. All I ever got told was, “so what will you do after bartending, you can’t make a career out of it” or “are you bartending to put yourself through school?”. Now, I believe people are starting to understand how much you can do in this career and grow from it.
What’s your role with Graton’s Bartending School?
I run the Bartending School at Graton. I do all the teaching, the setup, the breakdown and pretty much everything in between. It is one of my favorite parts of my job! I enjoy teaching any skill I have learned to any new bartender willing to learn and grow.
Who’s your favorite bartender or mentor and why?
Years ago, when I first started bartending, I worked alongside a guy named Nic at a local restaurant/dive bar. I got very little training and had never bartended before and my first shift was on a Saturday night, it was extremely busy, and I was extremely panicked. I remember Nick coming to me and stopping me in my tracks. He told me to take a deep breath and to stop staring down at my ice bin, he told me “Let the guests know you see them, smile, and tell them you will get to them when you can, they just want to know you see them. You’re doing great!”
I remember completely rethinking what I was doing, and that little bit of advice stuck with me to this day, I now teach that exact same thing in our Bartender School. He has since passed away, but he was a huge mentor for me, and learning from him really helped me in my career.
What drew you to Graton and what keeps you there?
Graton is the best company I have worked for, the benefits were a huge draw in for me, but the way the Tribe (Editor’s note: Graton is owned by a federation of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo groups) Iooks out for the team here is what keeps me around. I love my job; I have a huge creative role and I truly enjoy my work. Having great leaders in my department always helps, knowing they see my potential and help me continue growing in my career is something I will never forget about.
Which new to you spirits brand have you been using lately and why?
One of the favorites that we have brought into the bars recently was the Empress 1908 gin, the bartenders love using it behind the bar, and I have enjoyed making some gorgeous indigo cocktails with it (Empress Gin was a Silver medal winner in the 2019 NY International Spirits Competition).
What’s your after-work drink?
Corona, as sad as that sounds. If I am going out and want something to sip on, it’s usually anything tequila or whiskey based.
What cocktail or spirits book have you read recently?
I currently just bought Meehan’s Bartender Manual. I have only just started reading it!
Any techniques that you’ve been experimenting with?
I have been working on trying cocktail caviars, I think they are brilliant!
What jigger do you use and why?
Just a standard hourglass style jigger. I like to use the exact tools we supply our bars with.
What fresh ingredients are you using this time of year?
Sage, blueberries, orange, and cinnamon are what I have been using in some of our cocktails right now.
What advice would you have for your younger self or a bartender starting out today?
That it takes time to learn all the skills that go into bartending, and it’s a never-ending learning experience. Making mistakes are how we grow and not to feel ashamed of that. We all must start somewhere.
How long is a normal shift and how many shifts do you work in a week?
I work a 5 day a week schedule, and I can range anywhere from an 8-hour shift, to a 14-hour shift. It just depends on what is on my schedule for the day.