Layla Linn, Beverage Director
Brian Downing, Associate Mixologist & Educator
John Casey, Business Partner
Heather Jones, Accounts Manager
Jason Anderson, Beverage Training & Cocktails on Tap Operations
Cameon Orel, Associate Executive Chef/R&D
Erwin C. Santiago, Account Supervisor - PR Manager
Jenn Chung, Food and Beverage Development Associate
Angela Prosper, Creative Director & Content Strategy
Keith Waldbauer, Associate Mixologist & Educator
Noah Rosen, Food & Beverage Development Support
LAYLA LINN
Layla Linn has over 20 years of hands on experience as a beverage professional. She has seen all aspects of the beverage industry, from behind the bar, to Beverage Manager, to distributor and supplier roles.
She prides herself on creating cocktails that really embody the client concept and has traveled extensively across the world learning the history, allure and distilling processes of spirits, with a particular passion for agave.
Her engaging personality makes her an enthusiastic and compelling trainer. She is often found teaching Progressive Mixology Seminars to industry professionals and bar staff around the nation.
Layla has attended the renowned Beverage Alcohol Resource Program (BAR) in 2009 and is B.A.R. certified. She serves on the board for Arizona Cocktail Week, New Mexico Cocktails & Culture, Apres Ski Cocktail Classic, and is an advisor for the Phoenix Chapter of the USBG & the National Nominating Committee (United States Bartenders Guild). She serves on the Arizona Restaurant Association Foodist Awards Nominations Guild, is a C.R.T. Trained Tequila Expert and a judge for multiple competitions throughout the country, including Diageo World Class and Bombay Sapphire�s Most Imaginative Bartender.
BRIAN DOWNING
With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Brian Downing was bitten by the �bug� at an early age and soon found out that behind the bar is where he belongs. Over the years he has immersed himself in everything bar, spirit and hospitality related attending seminars, reading books and talking with other industry professionals at the top of their game.
Brian has designed creative bar programs for national accounts, high-end resorts, world class cocktail bars and large music festivals. Most recently as lead bartender for Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour (Phoenix, AZ), which has been nominated for Top 10 Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar for 2016, 2017 and 2018 by Tales of the Cocktail and Best Bars in America by Liquor.com.
His passion for training and all things spirits has allowed him to create fun and innovative training seminars regularly attended by industry professionals and consumers alike. His down to earth style really connects with people making complicated concepts easy to understand and apply. Brian believes the technique and history behind the drink is just as important as the ingredients in the drink.
When not behind the stick he can usually be seen hiking one of the many trails in Arizona or relaxing by the pool listening to music with cocktail in hand and a smile on his face.
HEATHER JONES
Heather Jones is the jack-of-all-trades for the KCFS Team. She wears many hats, but her official titles are Account Manager - Culinary Associate and appropriately deemed the �troubleshooter�. The prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I was where she completed her A.S in Culinary Arts as an advanced standing student, and followed up with her Bachelor of Sciences in Culinary Arts with a minor in Oenology. She has worked both nationally and internationally, gaining corporate experience and knowledge with companies such as Hyatt Hotels Corporation (Grand Hyatt Singapore as the Culinary Manager), Marriott International (Banquet Sous Chef - Orlando World Center), and Nordstrom Headquarters here in Seattle as the Sous Chef. She is the glue that binds the KCFS Team together and can often be seen running through the studios finalizing proposals, coordinating client showings and conferences, and proofing upcoming presentations and seminars - all while thinking up the next big thing during a food & beverage development session...and that�s just a typical Monday! But don�t let the heels fool you - Heather trains year round for the next obstacle mud course!
ERWIN C. SANTIAGO
California-born but Seattle-raised Erwin C. Santiago is the KCFS Account Supervisor - PR Manager. Holding double B.A. degrees from Seattle University in Journalism, Humanities, and a Psychology minor, he is a lively character and the team�s go-to taste tester. Erwin�s ability to constantly stay-in-the-know, and his skill to keep up with all of the social media outlets make him a very valuable member of the team. As the only staff member without a formal culinary background or training, he keeps the crew on track by organizing and categorizing the 1000+ bottles of liquor and syrups, moving really heavy objects for the rest of the staff, packing for trips, and will occasionally break into a random dance. Outside of work, Erwin admits to being an avid gym/workout junkie but has an ongoing not-so-secret love affair with all things ice cream. Erwin is also a skilled and talented dancer...spot him if you can at local �flash mobs�.
JOHN CASEY
John Casey is Kathy�s partner in business and life. He's been "in the biz" for over 30 years: from working as a culinary operations instructor to liquor sales, to front of the house management, to wine stewardship under the acclaimed Kevin Zraly at Windows of the World. John now handles the financials for all Kathy Casey companies, but is also known as Kathy�s personal �taste-tester�! When asked about what he does in his free time, his response is �What time off?!� Truly a renaissance man�he does it all. John's favorite thing to cook is a �glass of red wine� and always has time for cheese and crackers �he's not the chef in the family! But when someone else is cooking, he loves to eat bacon and most pork products. But he eschews pork rinds!
Beverage Operations and Sous Chef for Kathy Casey Food Studios and Dish D�Lish Inc., Jason Anderson was born in California and raised in kitchens. He fell in love with cooking from a very young age and always found himself coming back to the kitchen for work. After living for two years in Hawaii, he decided to put a degree behind his passion and attended Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, OR. Armed with a degree in Culinary Arts, he started working as a Sous Chef/Event Chef for one of the largest catering companies in the Northwest, which gave him a crash course in fine dining and large scale catering. Joining the KCFS team is a very exciting change for Jason from the classic kitchen job to food and cocktail development, as well as food styling and photography. When he is not mixing drinks or saut�ing food in the kitchen, he is found writing music on the many instruments he plays, developing tasting menus for dinner parties he hosts, and brewing beer. CAMEON OREL
Cameon Orel is the Associate Executive Chef and Culinary Operations Specialist R&D. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Cameon returned to the Pacific Northwest. Here, she is involved in the slow food movement, combining her passion for farm-to-table cuisine and commitment to sustainability by creating menu programs covering renewable energy, composting, and recycling. With over 25 years of extensive experience including Cheesecake Factory, Palomino and Fall City Roadhouse, a local farm to table concept. At KCFS Cameon specializes in innovation, menu & product development, concept operations and P&L reviews, operational tools and budgetary planning. JENN CHUNG
Jenn Chung is our resident Canadian from Toronto. With a varied background in the visual arts (York University), education (Wilfrid Laurier University), and culinary arts (Art Institute of Seattle), she brings creativity, organization, and an eye for detail to her work. Jenn supports the team throughout the ideation phases, development process, and client showings. She is an avid traveler constantly in search of culinary knowledge, from trekking across India and Europe to working the demo stages at the Food & Wine Festivals in South Beach and Aspen. You can find her at the studios whipping up new recipes, taste-testing cocktails, and working on all things d�lish. ANGELA PROSPER
When not enjoying a good cocktail or baking treats at home, Angela Prosper works as Creative Director and Content Strategy Manager at Kathy Casey Food Studios and Liquid Kitchen. With over 20 years of experience, her mastery of the camera and photography software gives her knack for capturing THE perfect shot for clients, social media marketing and web design. Angela is a longtime volunteer and student of the Photographic Center NW (a non-profit arts center for photography) and has been featured at the Seattle Art Museum as part of guest lecturer John A. Bennette's discussion. Among other things, she is also a creative mentor for small businesses, loves urban farming, travel, Instagram, and has an unhealthy fear of left hand turns.
KEITH WALDBAUER
Liquid Kitchen Associate Mixologist Keith Waldbauer travels the world with Kathy teaching the art of mixology, from Abu Dhabi to Egypt and most recently Ukraine as well as all over North America. He has been featured in Imbibe magazine as well as nominated by StarChefs.com for their Rising Star Mixologist award. Keith brings his thirst for all things spirited to his work every day. As co-owner of Liberty Bar in Seattle he knows what it takes to run things smoothly. He is a cocktail geek at heart, loves all things pork and is dedicated to exploring the history of his craft whenever he can.
NOAH ROSEN
Noah Rosen began his path into the world of Culinary arts at the young age of 2 when he proclaimed to his parents he wanted to be a chef. He then went on to attend the Orange County School of the Arts in the Culinary Arts program, where his career and ambitions grew as he opened his pop-up restaurant, CLASS Kitchen. After receiving accolades from the LA Times and other media outlets, Noah began an apprenticeship at the Forbes 5 Diamond Montage Resort. Noah attended Johnson & Wales University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Food & Beverage Entrepreneurship and AS in Culinary Arts. In 2017 while in college, Noah founded Forge To Table Knives, designing and delivering hand forged chef knives to cooks, foodies, and chefs everywhere. With his partnership with a 3rd generation blacksmith family in China, Noah grew the company over the years with sales in 40 states and 22 countries and with 19 retail partners. ForgeToTable.com .When he isn’t working at Forge To Table he stays connected to the industry by working events like Flavor Experience where he was introduced to Kathy Casey and team. He also loves musical theatre volunteering his time to run the marketing for No Square Theatre in Laguna Beach.
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