Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Momose.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was born in Nara, Japan. My father is half Japanese, which is how I have a Japanese last name — Momose. Growing up in Japan, I was surrounded by rituals and cultural practices which exist around beverage. This is how I developed an appreciation of drinking for the experience and creating drinks to tell a story. A pivotal moment in my life occurred during a trip back home, to Japan, after moving to America to attend university. I went out for dinner with a friend, and afterwards, we happened upon a small bar in Kobe. The bartender was the owner and operator of the establishment. He welcomed us warmly and took care of each person who came to sit at his bar with respect and thorough efficiency. The cocktail list was small, but what really stood out to me, was that for any drink served on ice, he precisely chipped perfect spheres of ice. No drink order was “unworthy” of his time and skills. This dedication to perfection and the unwavering consideration of the details is something that has remained with me ever since. Three years into an interior architecture and design degree, I decided to step away to bartend full-time. Although, at this point, I practically was a full-time bartender, as I was working multiple jobs to help pay for school. I decided then, that my career of choice was in the hospitality industry, and that perhaps one day, I would put the design to use when I open my own bar. Now, I am months away from the opening of Kumiko, a bar of which I am a partner and the creative director.
Please tell us about your art.
I am a bartender. The colors with which I paint, are flavors in the form of brewed, distilled, and infused ingredients. I believe that eating and drinking may extend beyond just being a means of sustenance. It is a way for me to communicate with others, by sharing my culture, through what is in the glass. The act of bartending is much like a dance, as I move through the course of the day, twisting and turning, mixing and pouring out my heart and soul before the guests. All of this is nothing without the guest to enjoy and experience the work. Sometimes, all they want is just a drink. No fancy frills, twists, or stories. Just a drink, plain and simple. That is what I love to give to them; and, if someone ever wants to hear the story of how the drink was created or the production method behind a particular sake, I welcome the chance to share all of that with them. My art is to be present, and yet invisible, it is containing a deep well of knowledge, and presenting a still surface. The one area where I do not yield is in the quality, and in the process. The steps that it takes to make a drink the best that it may be in a certain moment, are the steps that may be highlighted or subdued, but they will never be skipped over for the sake of speed. My hope is for people to feel at ease at my bar, so that they may lean back without a worry, or if they prefer, lean in and engage.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
No matter how perfect your technique and spot-on the balance and the design of your drink may be, please remember that we, the bartender, are serving people. Ultimately the drink is only as good as you make those around you feel. Remember, that no matter how simple the drink or request may be, the person standing before you chose to spend their time and their money at your bar. Treat each interaction with care and respect. Also, take care of yourself. In the same way that you respect your guest and fellow co-workers, so should they respect you. No one should ever make you feel worthless or uncomfortable. If they do, they are not worth your time, no matter what titles they may have. You don’t have to put up with manipulation and harassment. Ever.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I left my full-time job at the beginning of 2017. Since then, I have been working towards opening my own bar, while doing consulting work in the interim. There are bars opening in Milan and in New York City later this year, which I cannot disclose now, which will be serving cocktails that I created. Early winter 2019, a bar in Tokyo will be opening, serving Julia Momose created cocktails as well. Currently, guests dining at two-Michelin starred Oriole in Chicago, may experience the spiritfree pairings I created, or try some cocktails or spiritfrees from the a la carte beverage menus.
For an online portfolio, visit www.momosejulia.com or follow me on Instagram: @momose_julia.
Contact Info:
- Address: Bar Kumiko
630 W Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60661 - Website: www.momosejulia.com
- Instagram: @momose_julia
- Twitter: @momose_julia
Image Credit:
Sammy Faze Photography
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