Ivy Mix
Alessandro Scire CalabrisottoShare
Ivy Mix is one of the most influential bartenders of her generation — an award-winning operator, author and advocate who helped reshape how the cocktail world thinks about Latin American spirits and about women behind the bar. From a serendipitous first shift in Guatemala to co-founding a movement that has raised millions for charity, her story is one of curiosity, craft and conviction.
Early Life & Path to the Bar
Ivy Mix's introduction to bartending came far from the bright lights of New York. While studying at Bennington College, she travelled to Guatemala at the age of 19, and ended up working at the bohemian bar Cafe No Se — reportedly offering to work shifts to pay off a tab. That first gig sparked a lifelong fascination with the spirits of the region, and she spent formative years immersed in the culture, language and drinks of Latin America.
Returning to the United States, she set about turning that passion into expertise, learning the craft in earnest in some of New York's most respected rooms.
The Rise of Ivy Mix
Mix deepened her knowledge of agave spirits while working at Mayahuel, Phil Ward's pioneering mezcal-focused bar in the East Village. She went on to work at Fort Defiance and the celebrated Clover Club under the mentorship of Julie Reiner, one of the most respected figures in the American cocktail revival.
That partnership bore remarkable fruit. In May 2015, Mix and Reiner opened Leyenda, a Brooklyn cocktail bar devoted to the spirits and flavours of Latin America — a direct tribute to Mix's years living and working in Guatemala and her travels across the continent. The same year, she was named Best American Bartender of the Year at Tales of the Cocktail, cementing her standing at the top of the profession.
Signature Drinks & Contributions
At Leyenda, Mix built a reputation for cocktails that celebrate tequila, mezcal, rum, pisco and the wider world of Latin American spirits, introducing countless drinkers to flavours they might never otherwise have encountered. Her influence, though, extends well beyond any single recipe.
In 2020 she published Spirits of Latin America, a deeply researched book that went on to win major industry honours, including recognition at Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards. It stands as both a practical guide and a heartfelt argument for taking the region's spirits seriously.
Legacy
Perhaps Mix's most enduring contribution is Speed Rack, the all-female bartending competition she co-founded with Lynnette Marrero. The series champions women in a historically male-dominated industry while raising substantial funds for breast cancer education, prevention and research. It has become a genuine force for good and for change within the trade.
Between her bar work, her writing and her advocacy, Ivy Mix has helped expand both the palate and the conscience of the modern cocktail world — a legacy that reaches far beyond any one glass.
Curiosity: A Fun Fact About Ivy Mix
Mix's love of agave spirits ran so deep in her early days that, by her own account, her travels in the region included tracking down special mezcales and tequilas — a hands-on education in agave that few bartenders could ever match.