Gabriela Holzer – Blending Art, Tea, and Mindfulness into Cleveland’s Cocktail Culture
Early Life and the Foundations of Creativity
The story of Gabriela Holzer begins not in a kitchen or behind a bar, but in the world of art studios, sketchbooks, and creative exploration. Born with an eye for detail and a curiosity for aesthetics, Holzer pursued fine arts as her first calling. She enrolled at the University of Michigan, immersing herself in visual creativity, theory, and practice. For her, art was about more than the finished piece — it was about process, experimentation, and finding meaning in the details.
This perspective — one of intentionality and artistry — would later become the hallmark of her cocktail philosophy. Though she did not know it at the time, her education in fine arts laid the groundwork for her approach to hospitality as an art form.
First Steps into Hospitality – Heidelberg in Ann Arbor
After graduating, Holzer found herself unexpectedly pulled into the world of restaurants. She landed a job at Heidelberg, a bustling German restaurant and dive bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Heidelberg was no fine-dining establishment; it was casual, lively, and filled with energy. But it was here that Holzer began to see hospitality not just as work but as a form of performance and creativity.
As a server, she learned the fundamentals: pacing, reading guests, balancing multiple tables, and the rhythms of service. More importantly, she began to recognize how food and drink could shape moods, create memories, and tell stories.
Holzer continued to work at various restaurants around Ann Arbor, each one sharpening her understanding of hospitality. Still, she felt there was more to discover, more ways to connect her artistic roots with the act of serving others.
Moving to Cleveland – Finding Her Place in a New Scene
In 2017, Holzer relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, a city with a growing food-and-beverage scene. She joined the team at Tremont Taphouse, working as a bartender. What started as a job quickly became a turning point in her life.
Behind the bar, Holzer discovered a new medium for expression: cocktails. Under the mentorship of her manager, she began to learn the science and artistry of mixology, from balancing flavors to perfecting technique. Each drink became a canvas, each garnish a brushstroke.
Bartending captured Holzer’s imagination in a way that felt familiar yet new. It reminded her of her fine arts background — creativity with structure, aesthetics with function. She began to invest herself fully in learning, reading, experimenting, and most importantly, engaging with guests through her creations.
Developing Craft – Competitions and Collaborations
As her skills grew, so did her confidence. Holzer began participating in cocktail competitions, eager to test her creativity against other talented bartenders. These events were more than just contests; they were laboratories of innovation, where bartenders pushed boundaries and exchanged ideas.
Competitions fueled Holzer’s drive to refine her craft. She experimented with ingredients, flavors, and presentations, often weaving in elements of tea and botanical influences, which would later become her signature.
Her time at Porco Lounge & Tiki Room further expanded her horizons. Known for its tropical, rum-heavy cocktails and vibrant energy, Porco challenged Holzer to master bold, complex drinks while maintaining efficiency under pressure. Later, at Cloak & Dagger, she immersed herself in a more experimental cocktail environment, learning to balance innovation with accessibility.
These experiences shaped her into a bartender with range: equally comfortable with classic builds and avant-garde creations.
A Pandemic Pause and an Unexpected Opportunity
By early 2020, Holzer was preparing to collaborate with Eric Scott, one of the partners at Thyme Table in Bay Village, Ohio, on a springtime cocktail pop-up. The project was intended to showcase her growing skills and give her a platform to curate her own cocktail menu.
Then came the pandemic. Overnight, restaurants and bars shuttered, plans dissolved, and the industry was thrown into chaos. Holzer, like many hospitality professionals, faced uncertainty. But the pause also gave her time to reflect, recalibrate, and think deeply about what hospitality meant to her.
When restrictions began to lift, Scott invited Holzer to officially join the Thyme Table team as lead bartender. This invitation opened a new chapter in her journey.
Thyme Table – Crafting Cocktails with Tea and Intention
At Thyme Table, Holzer had the creative freedom to design and implement her own cocktail program. She seized the opportunity to bring her two passions together: cocktails and tea.
Tea, with its layers of aroma, tannins, and cultural history, became a cornerstone of her drinks. One of her most celebrated creations, Chai A Little Tenderness, exemplifies this philosophy. Built with masala chai-infused vodka, ume liqueur, cinnamon gomme, lemon, egg white, and salted plum dust, the drink is a harmony of spice, texture, and global influence.
Through cocktails like this, Holzer introduced guests to new sensory experiences, creating drinks that weren’t just consumed but contemplated. Her program at Thyme Table highlighted her belief that cocktails could be more than indulgence — they could be expressions of mindfulness and artistry.
Hereafter – A Bar of Her Own
With several years of experience, competitions, and leadership behind her, Holzer began planning her next step: her own bar and restaurant. Named Hereafter, the project reflects her philosophy of intentional hospitality.
Hereafter is envisioned as an intimate space where every detail — from the cocktail ingredients to the guest experience — is guided by care and nuance. The program will be steeped in mindfulness, with drinks designed to encourage guests to slow down, savor, and connect.
For Holzer, opening Hereafter is more than a professional milestone. It is the culmination of years of exploration — from fine arts to dive bars, tiki lounges to thoughtful cocktail programs. It represents her vision of hospitality as both craft and compassion.
Recognition – 2025 StarChefs Rust Belt Rising Stars Award
In July 2025, Holzer’s dedication and innovation were recognized on a national stage when she was named a StarChefs Rust Belt Rising Stars Award Winner. This award honors professionals who are not only shaping their local culinary scenes but also influencing the future of hospitality across the country.
The award validated Holzer’s role as a leader in Cleveland’s cocktail scene, celebrated for her artistry, creativity, and her ability to merge fine arts sensibility with beverage craft.
Philosophy – Cocktails as Mindful Art
At the core of Holzer’s approach is the belief that cocktails are an art form — equal parts chemistry, creativity, and storytelling. She sees bartending not simply as making drinks but as curating experiences.
Her emphasis on tea is both practical and symbolic. Tea represents patience, mindfulness, and cultural richness, qualities that she weaves into her beverage programs. By blending tea with spirits, she creates drinks that encourage reflection as much as enjoyment.
Holzer’s philosophy extends to service as well: she views hospitality as an act of care, a way of making people feel seen, valued, and connected.
Legacy in the Making
Though still early in her career, Gabriela Holzer has already made a lasting impact on Cleveland’s hospitality scene. From her start as a server in Ann Arbor to her leadership role at Thyme Table, and now her venture into ownership with Hereafter, her journey reflects resilience, creativity, and a refusal to compromise on intention.
Her recognition as a 2025 StarChefs Rust Belt Rising Star is not just an award — it is a sign of what is to come. Holzer is poised to become one of the defining voices in the modern cocktail world, an innovator who brings together art, flavor, and mindfulness.
The Journey of Gabriela Holzer
Gabriela Holzer never set out to be a bartender. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in fine arts, she first envisioned her future in the world of creativity and design. But after college, she found herself drawn to another kind of artistry — hospitality. Her first job at Heidelberg, a lively German restaurant and dive bar in Ann Arbor, exposed her to the energy of restaurant life. Over time, she realized that serving food and drink wasn’t just work — it was a craft in itself.
In 2017, Holzer moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and joined the team at Tremont Taphouse as a bartender. It was here that she truly discovered her passion for cocktails. Guided by her manager, she began to explore the intricacies of mixology, eventually competing in cocktail competitions and immersing herself in the city’s bar culture. Experiences at Porco Lounge & Tiki Room and Cloak & Dagger broadened her skills, exposing her to both high-volume service and experimental cocktail programs.
Just before the pandemic, Holzer connected with Eric Scott of Thyme Table in Bay Village to plan a spring cocktail pop-up. Though delayed by lockdowns, the collaboration eventually led her to join the restaurant full-time as lead bartender. At Thyme Table, she found her signature style: integrating tea into cocktails, creating drinks that are both thoughtful and flavorful. Her celebrated cocktail, Chai A Little Tenderness, reflects her blend of mindfulness, creativity, and global inspiration.
Today, Holzer is preparing to open her own intimate bar and restaurant, Hereafter, where she plans to continue exploring cocktails as a medium for intentionality and connection. In July 2025, her innovative approach earned her the StarChefs Rust Belt Rising Stars Award, affirming her place as one of Cleveland’s most exciting new voices in hospitality.