The Pinnacle of Culinary Excellence
Ivy Mix '08 is nominated for a 2026 James Beard Award for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. Mix is the co-owner of the natural wine bar Whoopsie Daisy in Brooklyn, NY.
Ivy Mix '08 is an award-winning bartender, industry leader, bar owner, and entrepreneur. She is the co-owner of Whoopsie Daisy and Fiasco! in Brooklyn, New York, an author of two books, and the co-founder of Speed Rack, the femme high-speed bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer research.
Most recently named a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for "Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service," Ivy has spent two decades proving that exceptional craft and meaningful advocacy can amplify each other, reshaping what it means to be a force in the spirits industry. She has consistently placed in the top ranks of Drinks International’s “Bar World 100” (2019-2025), been named Wine Enthusiast’s "Mixologist of the Year" (2016), and received "American Bartender of the Year" at the 2015 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.
About The James Beard Awards:
The James Beard Awards® presented by Capital One represent the pinnacle of culinary recognition in the US. Since their inception in 1990, the Restaurant and Chef Awards have made icons out of the nation's top restaurant and bar professionals. Today, these semifinalists join a constellation of James Beard Award–recognized leaders who collectively embody the breadth of American culinary excellence.
Winners will be celebrated at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Ceremony on June 15, 2026 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Photo of Ivy Mix by Nader Farzan