 Junior Merino
From Coast to Coast...
Born in Mexico in June of 1976, Junior Merino was exposed to different varieties of spices, fruits, flowers, and vegetables which has inspired his present creativity in mixing and matching uncommon ingredients, adding more exotic twists to his original cocktails.
Junior began to learn the intricacies of the Mexican cuisine at the age of ten. He worked diligently along side his mother and father, absorbing his first steps into the world of mixing ingredients. Junior's most important lesson that he was taught was that love and passion is what gave each meal its sabor (flavor).
 In 1993, at the age of 16, Junior Merino arrived in New York and immediately began work as a server assistant at the Boulevard Café (Arc Corp.) for 6 years and eventually worked his way to bartending and managing. All the while Junior went to school to learn English as well as to get his high school diploma. Junior also took a certifying class in computer graphic design.
Opportunity knocked when a colleague of Junior's from the Boulevard asked him to be the beverage manager of a restaurant that he would be opening called Roth's Westside Steakhouse. There, Junior put together Roth's wine and cocktail list and designed and printed the restaurant's menus and business cards. All the while, Junior would invent cocktails in his spare time. It was while working here Junior took courses and was certified from the American Sommelier Association.
A few months later found Junior Merino on a plane to Las Vegas where he tested and passed the entry-level exams and was initiated into the Court of Master Sommeliers Guild of Sommeliers. Two more grueling exams over the course of the next 4 years will certify Junior as a Master Sommeliers.
In 2006, Junior was awarded by Starchefs a Rising Star Award. He also competed in the Bombay Sapphire Perfect Pairing Competition and was teamed with Chef Aaron Sanchez. 2007 found Junior competing on Martha Stewart Radio's Iron Bar Chef, judged by the original Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto.
Junior has been mentioned for his creativity in magazines, newspapers, radio, TV and websites such as BBC Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, Women's Wear Daily, The Restaurant News, Seikatzu Press, Buzz, Sabores Autenticos de Mexicano, Restaurantes y mas, just to name a few.
He has created cocktails for ANA Hotel in Tokyo, The Hilton in Los Cabos, Mexico, Walt Disney Coronado Springs Resort, as well as some restaurants such as Café Frida, Café Ronda, Bombay Talkie, Rayuela and more. Junior has donated his services to fundraisers such as the Hedge Funds Care Foundation, the Slice of Latin America fundraiser, and most recently The Wayuu Taga Foundation. These last few months have had Junior spread out from coast to coast. From consulting for the Hilton in Los Cabos, Mexico to demos in Mexico City, to teaching industry personnel in New Orleans, Junior Merino is spreading his passion, art, creativity, and knowledge and, above all, the wonderment of discovering new flavors is only a sip away.
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