Jessica Sanders is a bar/restaurant owner, hospitality consultant and brand ambassador based in Austin, Texas. She owns and operates DrinkWell, an award-winning cocktail gastropub in Austin’s vibrant North Loop corridor. Since it opened in 2012, DrinkWell has been consistently recognized as one of Austin’s best bar programs by the Austin-American Statesman, Austin Monthly, TimeOut Austin and more. Nationally, Jessica’s work has been featured in numerous publications including Food & Wine, Southern Living, Bon Appetit and Conde Nast Traveler.
In 2016, Jessica was profiled in Imbibe Magazine’s highly anticipated annual ’75 list’ of the most influential tastemakers in beverage & hospitality. She was an inductee to Wine Enthusiast’s '40 Under 40' list in 2016 and was a national finalist in 2014 for a Wine Enthusiast ‘Wine Star Award’ in the category of 'Best American Mixologist'.
In addition to her work with DrinkWell, Jessica is the current Austin brand ambassador for Seedlip, the world's first non-alcoholic spirit. She currently sits on the Board of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance and is a member of the Austin chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Outside of hospitality, Jessica is a reluctant long distance runner, avid SoulCycler, reader, die hard baseball fan (Go Mets!) and Brené Brown fan-girl.
Cocktails, Oprah Winfrey and Jeff Buckley's 'Grace' album
Never give an asshole the power to make you the asshole.
Resilience and, sadly, crisis management.
All 50 states in alphabetical order, the lyrics to Salt n' Pepa's "Shoop" in their entirety and the recipe for at least 4 variations on a classic Gin martini.