Meet Chilled 100 Member Carlos Ruiz

Meet New Jersey’s Chilled 100 Member, bar consultant, cocktail artist, influencer, and entrepreneur at Miroflores Liqueur, Carlos Ruiz.

Email: carlos@drinkmiraflores.com

We ask Carlos about his bartending background and his road to starting Miroflores.

What inspired you to become a bartender?

Award-winning cocktail artist Carlos Ruiz who was born in Peru and moved to the United States when he was just eight years old, and who abandoned a promising future in software engineering to pursue a career in cocktail creation, said his passion for the liquid concoctions was “love at first sight.”

Ruiz, who got his start in the hospitality and service industry at a pizza parlor at age 15, discovered his affinity for the craft, in 2012, while working as a bus boy and server at New Jersey’s acclaimed Ryland Inn and saw the “beautiful, complex, and artful” mixed drinks coming out of the bar.

His interest in learning the trade was so strong he went to work on his days off and spent countless hours behind the bar studying every move made by the restaurant’s experienced staff.

However, Ruiz, who began bartending when 18 years was old and could whip up mixed drink masterpieces he couldn’t yet legally taste, is mainly self-taught, and said he developed his unique mixology style through a combination of hands-on training, reading a plethora of industry books and watching hundreds of cocktail-making tutorials on YouTube.

Throughout his career, Ruiz, whose charm and pizazz make him a focal point at any establishment, has held high-ranking bar management positions at a long list of award-winning restaurants. Competed and won over 30 cocktail competitions, as well as his creations have been featured in an assortment of publications.

Now in his 30’s Ruiz has recently launched Miraflores the first ever Chicha Morada Liqueur in the world with his Wife (Samantha) and Sister-in-law (Alixandra) This product is a homage to Ruiz Peruvian roots. A family recipe passed down turned into a liqueur made from Pineapple, Green Apples, Cinnamon, Clove and Purple Corn. Follow the journey @drinkmiraflores.

Where do you tend bar now? What makes it unique?

I am a bar consultant in New Jersey and promote my product Miraflores A Chicha Morada Liqueur in NJ and NYC. Please follow our journey @drinkmiraflores.

Who has been most influential in your development as a bartender?

My uncle Carlos Alberto Ruiz. He was the one who introduced me to cooking and flavor combination. Without him none of this would have been possible. He always pushed the boundaries in the kitchen.

Do you have any advice for novice/ at home bartenders?

Start with the classics and create a simple twist on them. They are classic for a reason.

What is your favorite ingredient right now and why?

Chicha Morada has always been my favorite ingredient to use in cocktails. I have been making the N/A version since I was a kid and when I got my first job behind the bar, I used it in many cocktails and now that I am 31. I turned this N/A recipe into a liqueur to bring the first ever Chicha Morada Liqueur in the world called Miraflores to market. Made from pineapple, green apples, cinnamon, cloves and purple corn. Please follow our journey @drinkmiraflores.

How do you go about creating a cocktail? Is there a specific process or simply a moment of inspiration?

Simply a moment of inspiration. Traveling, dining, conversations. Any moment can light up the bulb.

Do you have a special technique you use or a tip for making a particular drink?

Something that I have been doing at home because of the texture is every time I add juices like pineapple, orange, tangerine, passion fruit, mango, and guava. I like to do a ice shake and dry shake to create a nice froth to my drinks.

Where do you see the bartending/cocktail culture headed?

I think we are heading back to advanced techniques but keeping the integrity of quality is always best when it comes to produce.

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