AMY RACINE
Beverage director JF Restaurants in New York
Age: 37 First industry job: Host at Papa Bear’ s restaurant in North Canton, OH Favorite drink: Champagne: It’ s refreshing, feels a little celebratory, and after a long shift, it’ s a nice reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment.
One of the country’ s leading beverage visionaries, Amy Racine is shaping nationally recognized programs across more than a dozen JF Restaurants concepts while redefining how hospitality engages with wine and spirits. She blends deep expertise with a people-first, purpose-driven approach, championing accessibility, representation, and education at every level of the industry.
The beverage programs at JF Restaurants, which range from the Greek-driven list at IRIS to Long Island-focused pairings at North Fork Table & Inn, elevate underrepresented producers and regional voices, while Racine’ s inventive cocktail menus push creativity forward. She has built cohesive yet highly individualized programs across more than a dozen concepts, strengthened brand identity through beverage storytelling, and helped secure national accolades for the group.
Racine also champions accessibility, emerging regions and underrepresented winemakers, making wine and cocktails more approachable to guests and professionals. In 2025, she launched Unfiltered, a monthly dinner series spotlighting beverage professionals creating positive change and raising funds for industry nonprofits such as Turning Tables, The United Sommeliers Foundation and Southern Smoke.
She regularly mentors rising hospitality professionals and uplifts peers through programming and collaboration. The Unfiltered dinner series further advances diversity mentorship and advocacy within the industry.
Racine, who also serves as wine consultant to Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, oversees programs in New York, Boston and Tampa. She launched an agave-forward cocktail program at Obvio, and earned her Level 3 CMS certification on her first attempt.
Her early career in Michelin-starred kitchens with a CIA foundation informed her uniquely culinary approach to beverage. A rare leader whose impact spans operations, mentorship, community building, and national taste making, Racine represents the future of the beverage industry— thoughtful, inclusive, rigorous and relentlessly committed to excellence.
LU LOPEZ
Beverage director Nocturno Cocktail Bar in Las Vegas
Age: 37 First industry job: Barback for Rockabilly events with Rollin’ Rock Records Favorite drink: An extra frothy Dark’ N Stormy
Lu Lopez believes that great hospitality isn’ t complicated, it’ s intentional. By focusing on fundamentals, he ensures that every guest receives the same level of care, whether it’ s their first visit or their fiftieth.
Lopez built the entire bar program for Nocturno from the ground up— a program that reflects years of research, development and an unwavering commitment to the craft. He designed the menu around classic cocktail families to provide guests a consistent, elevated experience while also offering an approachable education in the history and fundamentals of great drinks.
He created a comprehensive training program that build technical precision and confidence with guests. Lopez trains bartenders not just to execute recipes and understand the why behind them, but how to interact with guests to discover their preferences and create a personalized, intimate experience.
In fact, Lopez is deeply committed to raising the next generation of bartenders. His mentorship style blends high expectations with genuine investment in people, helping emerging talent build confidence, discipline and pride in their craft. He says his greatest accomplishments have been watching the young bar talent he helped develop— many of whom had never worked in a bar before working with Lopez— go on to lead award-winning bars of their own.
Prior to developing the bar program at Nocturno, Lopez apprenticed under Sam Ross of Attaboy, opened Youngblood and helped reimagine Nobel Experiment and Neighborhood in San Diego, and served as the corporate mixologist for Michelin-starred Chef Tetsuya Wakuda. Outside of the bar, Lopez supports organizations such as Three Square Food Bank and Heartfelt Heroes Foundation.
Driven by genuine love for hospitality, Lopez does not chase trends, he’ s building environments where guests feel cared for, and teams feel proud of their craft. His impact is lasting, measurable and deeply rooted in service.
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