From photography to mixology, it seems that when it comes to creativity anything Elba Giron touches turns to gold.  Starting off in the humble surroundings of a local pizza shop   and then onto Medieval Times, Elba has taken her creativity, love of experimentation and discovery and thoroughly applied it to the wonderful world of cocktails and mixology. 

Elba started her career as none other than a bar wench at Medieval Times, a somewhat undistinguished beginning just over eight years ago.  It wasn’t until four years ago that she stumbled upon the fine art of cocktail making - mixology.  This trip into the fray could be attributed to Tony Abou-Ganim and Gary Reagan after seeing them at the 2005 NY Bar Show. To quote Tony, but not verbatim, “For a nickel more, you don’t have to sacrifice quality”.  Tony’s use of fresh fruit to create quality cocktails sparked Elba’s imagination.  Adding fuel to the fire was a chance meeting with none other than Dushan Zaric when she first started working at Restaurant MC in Millburn, NJ.  Restaurant MC was all about working with quality.  With big names like Dushan, Chef David Burke and Charlotte Voisey working on the project with such integrity, passion and ability, it was bound to rub off on her impressionable mind.  It was here that Elba learned the fundamentals of mixology.  With uncompromising freshness and ingredients, she started to show the creativity that she is famous for now. 

After moving on from Restaurant MC, Elba worked with Partida Tequila, the Liquid Chef and 

tended bar at Bar Milano in NYC.  Entering her first contest last year, she exploded onto the US scene with a win in the Ultimate Bar Chef “Ultimate Cocktail” Competition, sponsored by Hendricks Gin, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur and Easy Leaf.  Elba’s “Silver Granate”, featuring fresh tarragon & pineapple juice, blew the judges away.  She was even more humbled once she realized who she was competing against and who the judges were.  This only added to her thirst to get out and play more, entering the Averna and Rhum Clement competitions, and winning the recent Tabasco and USBG Championship at Tales of the Cocktail with her creation the “Asia & Beyond 

Bloody Mary”.

This year Tales of the Cocktail not only saw Elba’s creative flair with cocktails, but also with her love of photography.  Elba’s passion for both of these areas has spawned her latest idea, a cocktails styling boutique where she can implement her mixing skills with photography and design.  Elba gives credit to Tales of the Cocktail organizer Ann Tuennerman for giving her the opportunity to piece together the necessary vision to put in motion her cocktail stylist venture. Seeing the fine details of a well made cocktail, from the garnish to the glassware chosen, all add to the perception, especially in photography. 

But Elba isn’t all about cocktail styling, competition, and photography.  She loves just being behind the bar, creating interesting cocktails for people who trust her ability and want to take a walk on the wild side into this fantastically creative world known as mixology.  She loves perfecting classic cocktails, like her all time favorites the Negroni and the Manhattan, two simple classics that “need a little extra care to make just right”.  Whatever she’s creating she loves meeting new people that want to learn more about the fine art of cocktail making. 

With plans to open her cocktail styling boutique well in motion, opening Pranna Restaurant with Contemporary Cocktails INC, competing in more cocktail competitions, and the possibility of judging further down the track, Elba Giron has a lot of things going for her and even more rewards to come.