Welcome to neighborhood favorite I'm your host, George Worrell.

I'm excited to take you inside a special place in my heart.

As someone who's been clean and for 29 years and enjoying life fully and freely doesn't have to include alcohol.

We are here at Ben's Bar, an alcohol free bi The experience is all about conn and community.

Without the booze.

It's a place where everyone is w Whether you're in recovery, sober, curious, or simply want to enjoy delicious foo and drinks with a healthy twist.

Let's head inside and take a loo Vergie Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

How are you?

Fine.

Hello.

I see that you're all ready for the Halloween season.

We are.

This is.

It.

Started last week.

Thank you.

Oh, my God, this is f And I understand that you hav some wonderful food for us to ta Oh, we're going right to it.

I.

That's amazing.

I'm excited abou Yeah.

You're right.

Are you.

Ready?

All right, I'll have some cucumb And let's redefin the way you binge, okay?

Cheers.

Thank you.

Wow, this looks so good.

This is one of the reason why I love doing these shows lik You get to.

Eat, I get to eat.

So tell me this spread looks won But before we get into you know, all of the wonderful t that we have here.

Yes.

Tell me a little bi about why you decided to do Ben' Short answer, honestly is that it's an extension of my So I have been sober for a littl seven years.

I graduated in 2017.

I know, congratulations to you.

Thank you.

And, I at the time I just didn't think that there w a clea cut way for me to manage my sobr So I did a lot of social experim And this is a personal journey f where I didn't really stop going to ba because a lot of my friends were working in the industry.

But when I would go, I would pic And instead of me, worrying about getting triggered by the substance which is all around me, I focus more on my friends that working and busting their asses Or, you know, whether they're a or a bouncer or restaurant owner And this is also when I realized that I had a lot of friends that didn't drink at all, and not because they were in so but they were just straight edge So I was like.

I don't kno how.

To.

Yes.

No.

I'm kidding.

But yeah.

So yeah, I get it.

Many of us have thought about th Like how are we going to be able to, How are we going to be able to d My first job was at Legal Seafoo in 1995.

Wow.

And I thought that, I was offered a job as a waiter.

Okay.

And I thought, There were two things wrong with I don't like wearing uniforms.

And q that I thought I was gonna Have to see that.

I thought I was going to have to serve drinks and I just wasn't comfortable wi But nowhere that 29 years later did we think.

And we should have tha we could have a place where peop who don't drink can come but there are people who just do My parents didn't drink.

Wow.

So, I'm excited for you.

I'm excited about this.

And equally excited to try the f So let's go around and see what do we have here?

Okay, so I am Filipino.

So of course I need to hav some representation of my cultur So this is the infamous lumpia.

And I'm so excited for people t much like, you know, know about Delicious dish.

Because it's so I grew up in the Philippines, and I moved here when I was 17.

And this is like one of those th that I easily, you know, would pick out of this that we would.

Have just made up.

So we offer turkey vegetable and then we just launch our vega and we'll launch it yesterday during brunch.

And I'm telling you, after two h it's sold out.

Okay.

So this is more of like an assor You don't know it's a wild card You don't know what you're going So I'm excited for you So there's a sauce.

Which sauce So this is our in-house sauce right here okay.

And tell us about it.

So it's made with Thai chili sau But we also add a little bit of what is it.

Tomatoes with it and obviously s So you can hear a little bit of the crunch.

Obviously.

So which one did you get there.

I don't know I think this is the Turkey.

Yeah.

It's really good.

Thank you.

And again Filipinos love vinegar Anything tart.

So this is a recent addition to the sauces that we offer which is a vinegar based sauce.

It's got a little bit of fresh onions in there.

And I want to see olives actuall All right.

So I can taste it.

Ye And then this is good.

You have.

Yes.

Make sure you have some of that mimosa also.

So what I love about the concept is that yes it is my brand.

But I love to feature small bus also like the base that you have with that Prosecc is actually from a black owned, I love the crystal and Tea by Pure Green an Yeah, I mean, they're wonderful girls and we collaborated in an event and I really enjoyed the flavor profile of these juices, and I thought there was a match.

And what is this?

That is so we call it DMVs hearts and Ar Okay.

And it is currently our chef's but it is vegan and it's suppose to resemble, crab cakes but we don't want to name it tha because we don't have anything that kind of like is a meat subs We want to make sure that everyt fresh and made from scratch.

And you have your sauce right th Can you so can I get a room because I'm going to b you know I eat and I like to tak I get up.

This is amazing.

Thank you, than So how are you able to say manag You know with seven years clean and sober and just run a b Be responsible for payrol and be responsible for paying bi And how do you handle it?

Because you know with this show and we want to show how it is to actually run a busi We see all the glamor we see all of the but we want to I want to know how it is to lik really the nuts and bolts of it.

It's, it's tough.

It's it's really challenging.

And, you know I'm experiencing this firsthand.

And it's just so happened tha I have a very, very good support And I'm not just talking about m I'm talking about the communit that I build since I opened benc which is super duper important.

And then, you know, just making, just accepting the fact I, I came from retail and I mana you know, a few location when I was, doing that back in t And, you know you go through staffing and recr and you go through the bad apple and you got to thin the herd.

And, with me since we have such a really smal I have a small group of team wit that are willing to kind of like, cros navigate multiple roles within t So, you know when I said I'm a working owner, I can step in behind a bar or I in plating this food for you.

And, you know I can manage the social media.

So I'm able to cut costs and you kind of have to like.

But you almost have to, like, I Yes.

Hiring.

You should know everythin about your business and be able For me that's how I felt.

Yeah.

So when I started my business ca and being an event planner.

Really.

Yeah.

We had these church accounts.

So okay we made th we would have to do the repass p But I also made the menu.

So if the chef didn't show up I could do it so many times.

Right.

Chicken.

S you know exactly what I'm talkin Yeah.

It's still applies to this Yeah.

So and more.

Exactly.

So I know we're going to step t and we're going to talk about th alcoholic beverages.

Yes I look forward to it.

And we're going to be bagging this up to take home.

That's you should.

Wow.

This is great.

I am looking forward to talking about the drinks and what you have to serve her in the background of all of it, Oh my goodness.

So sit down.

Yeah, yeah.

These are everyone's top, top choices as far as, like, nonalcoholic cocktails.

Actually, these are not mocktail So that is sort of the misconce as far as bench bar is concerned Okay.

So is there Worcester.

Can you tell me what the differe So mocktail I typically in avoid using that of people from the nonalcoholic do because it automatically mea that it's going to be heavy on s mainly made you know, when juices and empty So, these are elegant and elevat nonalcoholic cocktails where we use botanical, nonalcoholic spirits.

And obviously juice also.

But for example, our espresso all fashion right there we us we don't have a special machine but the coffee that we us is from a black owned DC Owen fa They used to live down the stree with coffee and tea.

Right.

So, you have a little bit of a m which is an Italian digestive that is, zero proof, obviously.

So this is like a tiramisu cockt from what I've been told.

And it's our last month's top se Oh, so it's a hybrid.

It's an espresso Especially being a coffee drinke I'm a coffee.

Oh, love.

Coffee.

Like a coffee ice cream.

I really only do decaf.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

So what are we.

What is.

Describe this one.

It looks so wonderful.

Yes, I'm a little biased.

So when people ask me, like, yo what do you, What do you prefer?

I always start with that one.

Okay.

In the name.

The very, very first cocktail I created for the concept.

And it's so near and dear to me.

That is the cucumbe margarita, made with fresh cucum A little bit of puree, a little bit of agave.

We put a little bit of tonic to that, like, no pizzazz at the en And then we garnish it with cucu strawberries into here.

And of course.

A really taste.

Is there cucumber in here.

Yes.

Yes.

It's good for your skin.

So like i hydrates you from the inside out Yeah.

And what do we have here?

Fresh pressed juice.

That is watermelo base and a prosecco nonalcoholic Yeah.

Wow.

This is really good.

And I, you know how do you when you're behind th I know when I first start my bus right.

Yeah.

I thought, wow, I'm really doing some of the things that I thoug about as a child and that alcoho You wanted to be a business owne as a child.

Amazing.

I look at you.

I wonder, did.

I You know I would never remember my lines, I found that the day that I stopped drinking, I was able to pursue every dream And even some I didn't know I ha So do you feel sometimes when you're making these drinks or you're making the food and all these things like, wow, do you take the time to just li gratitude or what do you think a Every single time?

I think there is a lot of discov in the 50s that I actually kind of tap int especially on the first eight mo And, you know, I' going to get a little bit person I realized that it's really not the alcohol that causes people t And in recovery, this is very, y this is a serious subject.

And a lot of people take this at heart in some, kind of like reverts back into because they just don't know it.

They don't have they, they don't knowledge and lack resources.

So when you're drinking a cockta not just the alcohol that's really triggering a relap For some people that are sensit it's the sugar content, it's the and it's the ingredients that's in those cocktai because it spikes your cortisol And so, in the rooms, and her also I still kind of like facili some of the philosophy that I l like the word halt or the acrony And you have to like, you know, be I, I'm, I'm, I'm grateful for the experience but I'm also very mindful of the Yeah.

So and you've been very public a One of the things when you got y Yes.

Yes.

How was that like the catalyst t All right.

On, on top o how did you know that that was t Oh yes.

I knew immediatel just because of the impact that not just to myself, but to my fa Like, first and foremost the car that I wrecked was not m It was my sister's.

And she works so hard for that v And, just seeing her look.

And, you know, my family now used to be concern and distress And I look at them and, you kno I see them during, family functi and it's like you don't see that anymore, righ Yeah, yeah.

And nobody's, you kn maybe, oh, maybe 29 years ago.

Yeah.

I used to work at, Union Station and heavily, heavily into alcoho So I would walk from Union Stati I lived in a roo on maybe four blocks away from h Yes.

And, to come back now, some 29 years later, clean and sober is, gratitude to be able to walk and not be rushing home to do whatever it i that I was doing to destroy myse Yes, but also t I mean, the great part about it about coming her is you don't have to be in recov There are people who don't drink Yes.

Or just stop drinking for w Yeah.

Yes.

And that's, that' that's a blessing is what it is.

Yeah, I absolutely agree.

I'm 20 months into opening, benc And I remember when I first anno or when this concept was publicly announced, I received a lot of backlash, mainly from people who drink bec you know they assume it's going to be for that's in recovery or for church or that it's only going to last for six months.

And, you know, you take you take as constructive criticism versus taking it in as an attack because, like, you know, people are projecting different whether it's trauma, whether it's, you know, it's in and you kind of just have to tak at face value, understan that, like, there's room for all Yeah.

You know, and I don't kno if you're like this, but for me, many times for my ideas and the things I was the only one that believed Oh, that's super important.

What's your sign?

Torosaurus.

Oh, Scorpio.

Okay.

Y So you know it.

Most people that are watchin and stuff like that, they will s you when you have this roa of this journey, especially with just restarting our lives, tha we don't know where it's going t And that I take.

All of.

It.

Yeah.

Take all the energy that we did doing other stuff into this.

Now let's talk about also to the Because many people when you sa alcoholic wine, what does that m Break that down for us.

So what nonalcoholic wine means that it's gone through a process vacuum distillation where they s or they burn, or they remove the during the fermentation.

So there will be wine, there wil and there will be spirits that you will see o the label have 0.5% alcohol, or And, you know some people are very sensitive t And, others aren't.

And that's why you like, you kno when you go to a grocery store and you have a cart full of like nonalcoholic beer you still get carded because FDA considered non-alcohol but it's still kind of like it's a, it's an operational thin where you still have to get it f So does thi what rate point average is there So this particular one, it's a brand from L.A.. And the beautiful thing about th not only vegan, it's low in calories, low in sugar, bu this has ashwagandha and reishi Anything ashwagandha and anythi reishi mushroom is, like, really at the top of the chart right no When it comes to like holistic b Okay.

Because it you know, it it promotes, relaxation.

It helps with anxiety and focus also depending on lik you know, what you're going thro But this has 0.5 okay.

Yes.

So is there anything that has ze Are you able to get zero.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Absolutely.

That means but I'm also wonderin how is that done.

How is that done with there's ze because like I said I got clean like 29 And there were people there a lot had more time.

And they were adamant about no.

Yeah.

So I thin as far as the movement is concer they did it really, really quickly with beer first because like you know, remember like, oh duels and Heineken.

You know, when I was beginning, I didn't even honestly drink a lot of these item when I used to drink to begin wi So I'm also introducing myself f But as far as lik nonalcoholic spirits is concerne they go through a proces called, the, the alcohol associa But what you have to realiz is that since it's not just the that's really compounding all t profile, you're still kind of ge not boozy but buzzy from all the other ing So it's not placebo like, you k I would have customers that woul gee, gee, I'm feeling a little Are you sure there's no booze in There's none.

Like when you're when you're mu something into a cocktail like, a cucumber or, what is it, mint?

It releases all those aromatics and it adds to kind of like that buzzy feeling that you feel.

So this has been amazing talking And, you know, having a, you kno this is an event space two.

Right?

It is an event.

Yeah.

So you having a Halloween t so people can come and just sit They can have a coffe or they can have a small event h Yeah.

We try to make it as inclusive as possible.

You should try a new fashion.

So, so a new is, is that unlike It's the riff of an Old Fashione Yeah.

DC loves a good old fashioned, W It's complex.

It's got texture, it's got layers of flavor.

Great.

I'm glad you like it.

All of these are wonderful.

And you tell us what would you would advice.

You know I know I started my bus No business plan.

None of that stuff.

I just kind of said that I was t I was working for a restaurant and the owner of the restaurant was in, Morocco with his family vacationing.

Okay.

And I thought I had just gotten and I still wasn't making enough And all of the the people that w I had sent out everything, and l I had done all the work, and it was my reaching ou and, you know, all of these thin Yeah.

And I remember saying to a frie time, I said, you know, I just g and I'm not still not making what I think I should make.

And he said to me, you should do for yourself what you're doing for other peop And I went home that night and I couldn't sleep, right.

And I gave my two weeks notice.

I, came up with the name and did I had two clients.

And I started from there some 20 years ago.

But that's not how things are do But what advice would you give t that's saying, hey, you know, I think there's something to I have an idea.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I think, and this is just an acc of all my past experiences from previous employment.

I think you shouldn't be ashame or scared to do the grunt work o you know, like I did most of th here, and I did a lot of the des I was painting this floor like t straight for like eight hours.

Like, you need to allow yourself to get your hands dirty and actually show that to the p because it's not just a characte builder for you, but for everyo that you're inspiring to do this And I think, I truly believe in a marketing of storytelling is storytelling.

You have to share your story and you have to allow yourself t to be vulnerable, because you r don't know who you're going to c Right?

So this is, this is a concep where my tagline is come as you And I really just want to be as authentic as possible.

And all of my approach, of course, there's going to be i where I have to get like, you know, I have to put my full and like, you know, be a busines But I am the same exact perso on social media as I am in perso And I really think that there's in that.

Yeah.

And I'm also representing folks that are minorities.

You know, I'm a I'm a woman, I'm minority owned.

So I think that's that's super, super duper important.

And representing minority owned here.

Right.

So exactly.

And that's one.

Exactly I love that I love H Str Yeah.

And it's facin a lot of challenges right now.

And that's another conversation in another day.

But the focus here is that how can I utilize this platform to try to engage a lot more, people that are very creative, that are very abstract, to not limit themselves in a bo I, I was that person and I'm pre Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I didn't like the violence.

Yeah, exactly You break out of the box.

Exactl And it shows in the way you dress, the way you speak.

And I think, tha that just resonates with people.

Well, thank you again.

And, I'm sure we will all be bac and have some of that.

I hope so.

Well, I.

Would love for you guys to come back.

Yeah.

That's great.

Well, thank you for taking the t to talk to us.

Of course.

Thank you.

Oh, thank you for joining us on thi of Neighborhood Favorites at Ben We had a wonderful time tryin all of the nonalcoholic beverage and trying all the wonderful fo and the great conversation with both of us sharing storie about our journey in recovery.

This was a great, great, great experience for me.

We look forward to you tuning i next episode of Neighborhood Fav This is Georg Worrell, we'll see you next time