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Four weeks down, two to go — and the Pour-Offs CCCL playoff race is heating up. High Proof Hustlers claimed their first win at Hop Haus Berlin with 102 points, holding a commanding lead after four straight top-three finishes. Taco ’Bout Tipsy continued their hot streak with a second-place finish, while Diablos stayed steady in third. With Aged & Infused slipping and two matches left, every pour now counts.

There’s a special kind of madness in opening a restaurant. You’re equal parts artist, engineer, gambler, and firefighter. You build something out of thin air, a dream, a menu, a crew, and then you hope it all holds once the doors open. The CRA Crazies “Restaurant Newcomer”  category celebrates the ones bold (or crazy) enough to chase that dream in real time. Every name here represents sleepless nights, maxed-out cards, and the hope that passion can become a business. This is

Halfway through Season 1 of The Pour-Offs CCCL, the competition is heating up. Upsets, breakout performances, and creative cocktails have made every Monday night electric. With just five points separating first from sixth, the playoff race is wide open. Captains reflect on community, creativity, and the drive to win, proving this league is more than a competition. It’s Connecticut hospitality at its best.

Five years in, the Anthony Bourdain Suicide Prevention Dinner has become more than an event — it’s a family reunion for Connecticut’s hospitality hearts. This year, I was honored to step behind the bar, serving alongside some of the best chefs, bartenders, and humans in the business. What I gave in time and sweat, I got back tenfold in purpose, connection, and love.

The Culinary Titans are here—Connecticut’s boldest chefs, visionaries, and leaders redefining what hospitality means. These nominees for Chef of the Year represent passion, precision, and perseverance. From fire and flavor to heart and hustle, each one turns chaos into craft, inspiring the next generation to cook, lead, and serve with purpose.

Week 3 delivered the biggest upset of the season at Birch Hill Tavern. Taco 'Bout Tipsy claimed their first victory with "Midnight Embers," a bourbon espresso martini that scored 107 points and ended Diablos Team's winning streak. With a Splash surged back with a +29 point improvement, while High Proof Hustlers remained the only team with three consecutive top-3 finishes. Five points separate first from sixth—every team is still alive for playoffs. Any. Given. Monday.

The bar is the pulse of every restaurant—where chemistry, craft, and connection meet. The 2025 CRA Crazies Bar & Beverage Team finalists represent the heart of Connecticut’s cocktail culture: Drift, I Know You Know, Hartford Flavor, Perfusion Bar, and Beauty & Essex. These teams turn every pour into poetry and every shift into art. Read more at The Hospitality Club. #CTCrazies #HospitalityClub #BartenderLife

Week 2 of The Pour-Offs CCCL turned up the heat at IKYK Bar Cocktail in New Britain. The Diablos Team stayed perfect with a league-record 111 points, while High Proof Hustle surged into second with 107. Both teams feature bartenders nominated for Best Bar Team in Connecticut, fueling an early-season rivalry. With Nutmeg Knockouts holding steady and Taco ’Bout Tipsy showing creative promise, the playoff race is already shaking up.

There’s something electric about this time of year in Connecticut—the hum of full dining rooms, the smell of bourbon and citrus, and the buzz of the CRA Crazies Awards. Love them or hate them, tonight we celebrate the names on the list. From chefs to bartenders, dishwashers to dreamers, this is our time. Read The Hospitality Club’s Crazies Series and meet the people shaping Connecticut hospitality. #CTCrazies #HospitalityClub

Great hospitality isn’t just service—it’s curiosity. Asking questions, noticing details, and remembering preferences turns small moments into unforgettable ones. A guest mentions a favorite coffee, and suddenly it’s served tableside. That’s curiosity becoming care. With guests and teammates, curiosity sparks connection, innovation, and loyalty. People don’t just remember what you serve—they remember that you see them.

✨ Week 1 of The Pour-Offs CCCL is in the books! High energy, bold cocktails, a packed patio at TJ Burritos, and one very awkward Commissioner’s blunder 🙃. From smoke-filled Sakura Gardens to tropical Rings of Oasis, the judges had their hands full with some serious creativity behind the bar. Check out the full recap, scores, and cocktail spotlights — and see who walked away with the top prize in our opening showdown. 🥂

In the chaos of kitchens, humor isn’t just a coping mechanism—it’s a survival skill. From savage sarcasm to dark, twisted one-liners mid-rush, restaurant workers laugh through the burnouts, the last-minute six-tops, and the cosmic joke of hospitality. It’s therapy, it’s connection, and it’s how we keep showing up shift after shift. Laughing in the dark is what keeps the lights on inside.

Welcome to The Hospitality Club blog by Justin Morales, Hospitality Shogun. A community hub for chefs, servers, bartenders, cooks, managers, suppliers, and guests to share stories, celebrate the industry, and inspire the next generation of hospitality pros.