J'Nai, a born-and-raised New Orleanian, is lead bartender at The Chandelier Bar inside the rather ritzy Four Seasons New Orleans, was just nominated into the final 4 for "US Bartender of the Year" at the 2026 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, makes content with her companies Pretty Magic Cocktails and Magic House Media, and is also awesome (we met on a shoot for Australian Bitters Co. that involved us, ahem, "taste-testing" Sazeracs at 10am in the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon St) and great fun, so onto the Philip Duff Show she goes!
We talked about her upbringing, swerving from dentistry to bartending, how she got into the industry and into craft cocktails, finding her own voice, being Black in big-city New Orleans versus small-town Georgia, political polarisation , the joy of dive bars and how she just wants to be able to eat all of the garnishes, all the time!
J'Nai on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jnai.angelle
Magic House Media: https://www.instagram.com/magichousemadeit
Pick Up My Shift: https://www.instagram.com/pickupmyshift
Pretty Magic Cocktails: https://www.instagram.com/prettymagiccocktails
(Get in touch with Duff!
Podcast business enquiries: consulting@liquidsolutions.org
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, nor listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview (or lurk on the Zoom.)
And our AI automatically deletes pitch emails that are clearly written using AI.
Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: philip@liquidsolutions.org
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