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JASON DANIELS
COO Half Time Beverage
Age : 37 First Industry Job : Half Time Favorite Drink : Belgium beer
Daniels represents the second generation in one of the country ’ s leading , independently owned beer retail stores . New York law forbids liquor stores from also selling beer , resulting in a diverse industry of beer stores across the state . Clean and well-kept are not necessarily descriptors one would use to describe many of these stores , which can verge on being giant , overfilled , dusty garages that smell like stale beer in some of the worst examples .
Half Time is the total opposite of that . Known as a classy , impeccably kept and well-managed brand , they attract consumers from throughout New York and its neighboring states .
Half Time is also a pioneer in beverage alcohol ecommerce , launching direct-to-consumer sales online many years ago , in an era when most competitors did not even have their own website . The Mamaroneck , NY , store also boasts an adjacent brewery , Decadent Ales , owned by the company .
Daniels continues this legacy of innovation and world-class retail business . Motivation for him comes in the form of the Half Time family he oversees . “ My personal goals are aligned with our employees ’ happiness ,” he says . “ I want them to be motivated and enjoy coming to work every day . If I have achieved that , in my eyes , I have achieved success .”
All businesses must face challenges ; sometimes , they ’ re extraordinary acts of the natural world . “ Two floods that wiped out our Mamaroneck location , and having to rebuild the largest beer store , the adjacent brewery and our shipping division ” is the biggest challenge that Daniels recalls from his career .
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TENZING PALDING
Wine Director & Sommelier HIS Hospitality
Age : 32 First Industry Job : Assistant sommelier at Graft in Madison , WI Favorite Drink : Champagne / Burgundy if money is not a factor , but a crisp pilsner on draft will do just fine
Tenzing Palden is one of the few Tibetan sommeliers in the country and has worked at world-class restaurants throughout his career such as Chicago ’ s Michelin-starred Alinea and Graft in Madison , WI . During his time at HIS Hospitality , Palden has advanced to oversee the wine , sool and sake programming for the entire restaurant group .
He specializes in seeking refined and adventurous beverage options to pair with the Chicago-based restaurant group ’ s authentic Japanese and Korean cuisine .
Palden has significantly improved the HIS Hospitality beverage program by bringing in unique beverages for wine and sake pairings .
What ’ s more , his innovative additions have resulted in an increase in sales at Omakase Yume , the company ’ s Michelin-starred six-seat omakase experience , by 15 %.
In addition to managing the beverage programming , Palden also created a robust training program and oversees the front-of-house team at both Omakase Yume and Bonyeon , HIS Hospitality ’ s new steak omakase experience . He ensures that each beverage is poured with the proper information to their diners . Palden is endlessly curious about the world of beverage , but his passion lies in hospitality and the people who make it run .
The downside of the restaurant industry is the hours of operation , he says .
“ Oftentimes , you have to pass on gatherings with loved ones because it is the busiest time of the week for the restaurant ,” Palden explains . “ I think eventually I will look into working a 9 to 5 [ job ], but I ’ m currently having too much fun .”
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