Beer with Nat

About Beer with Nat

Cheering on women in drinks. Each week, I share a cheers and a chat with women who work in the drinks industry — to connect, celebrate, cheer us up and cheer us on.

Publisher

Natalya Watson

Category

arts · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Oct 2018

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

92 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Ep 15 – Roberta Mariani: On-trade director, aperitivo advocate, and self-defense instructor

   Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today's guest is Roberta Mariani, On-Trade Director for Italspirits, a branding, marketing, and advocacy agency. If you've ever wondered what advocacy actually means in the world of drinks, and how to do it well, we get into all that in this conversation, including what Roberta is an advocate for: the aperitivo and aperitivo culture. Roberta also invites woman in hospitality to share an aperitivo with her, on the free 15-minute mentorship calls she offers. We talk about what inspired her to start them, where people are calling in from, and the kinds of topics that keep coming up. Lastly, we explore another way Roberta gives back to the industry – as a self-defense instructor – and why she feels this kind of training is vital for people in hospitality. What stuck with me from this conversation: On learning at work: "I've never been the kind of person that [says] 'This is my title. This is what I'm gona do and that's it'. I always wanted to learn more, I was always trying to reach for more. Like, 'Can I be on that project, as well?' I know this is not part of my competence, but I just want to sit here… to listen. So it was a way for me to really speed up on a lot of knowledge…" On why advocacy is so important: "88% of global bartenders say they are recommending drinks on a daily basis. And 95% of the time, the guest orders what they've been recommended." (Source: The NIQ Global Bartender Report 2026) On what she loves about the aperitivo: "I think there's something romantic about the aperitivo. It's a pause in the day. It's the opportunity." On her Aperitivo With Me mentorship programme: "I want to be like the big sister for them." On how to be a good mentor: "I don't do this with the expectation to have all the answers, it's more about asking the right questions." On the importance of community within the trade: "From my experience, you can go to the most remote village on earth and you're gona find someone that knows someone you know. You're always gona find a connection. And this makes you feel alive, it makes you feel connected, it makes you feel part of something." On her self-defense training: "It's not about the aggression, it's not about the fighting, it's actually about prevention. Everything I can do to not find myself in a spot of having to fight." Links & things: What we're drinking: Savoia Orancio (https://casa-savoia.com/savoia-orancio/) Spritz (Savio Orancio + rose sparkling wine, garnished with green grapes) Where Roberta has worked: Bar Termini (https://bar-termini-soho.com/) Martini (https://www.martini.com/) Where Roberta is now: Italspirits (https://italspirits.com/) Aperitivo With Me Mentorship calls (https://calendly.com/r-mariani86/15min) Travel advice (https://www.instagram.com/p/DcBynB2jdDp/?img_index=1) Self-defense training with Krav Maga London (https://www.krav-maga-london.co.uk/getstarted) Last call recommendations: Podcast to listen to: Diary of a CEO Products to try: Italian products, like aperitivo, bitters, grappa, vermouth Places to see: Peru for Macchu Picu, Jordan for Petra Jordan, and Norway People to meet: Lauren Mote (https://www.instagram.com/laurenmote/), Camille Vidal (https://www.instagram.com/mindfullycami/), Claire Warner (who I chatted with for Episode 12), Anna Sebastian (https://www.instagram.com/annasebastian3/), Natasha Sofia, Charlotte Voisey Recording info: July 2026 in London (Please excuse the few phone buzzes during the episode!) Subscribe (https://cheerswithnat.substack.com/) | Follow on Instagram | Email

2. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Ep 14, pt 2 – Claudia Carrozzi: Beverage development manager, guild president, and seed planter

   Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. In this episode, we're continuing our conversation with Claudia Carrozzi, Fleet Beverage Development Manager at Cunard cruises and President of the UK Bartenders' Guild (https://www.ukbartendersguild.co.uk/). If you haven't yet heard part 1 of this episode, do start there, then come on back here for more. For those of you that are caught up, Claudia's just about to take off her Cunard hat and share what her role with the UK Bartenders' Guild entails. We'll hear about the benefits of competing in cocktail competitions, what makes a truly great bartender (hint: it's a lot more than just making a great drink), what it was like to become the Guild's first female president and the legacy she hopes to leave. Lastly, Claudia shares what it is that keeps her so in love with what she does and what keeps her grounded outside of work, too. What stuck with me from this conversation On her Guild election: "So, I was elected as president and, as president, I was like, right, let's put our sleeves up, you've got your job. And then after a month, I lost the whole team… I set a different way of working with the Guild and it didn't really meet their priorities. You know, nothing wrong, it's just natural when you start restructuring a business." On the importance of cocktail competitions: "I think the first part of competition is challenging yourself. It can get you thinking outside the box and get you outside your comfort zone. I think it's really important for a bartender that wants to grow." On what makes a great bartender: "They understand the menu [and] can read the person." On what makes her proud: "I'm so proud when I can develop people. Not me as a person, but us as a Guild." Links & things Find out more about the UK Bartenders' Guild, including UKBG Academy (https://www.ukbartendersguild.co.uk/join-the-guild) UKBG Connect (https://www.ukbartendersguild.co.uk/whats-on) Competitions, and the winner from The 2025 National Competition, Sam Chatterji Or check out the other global bartending guilds mentioned, like IBA (https://iba-world.com/) and AIBES Hosco (https://www.hosco.com/en), for hospitality jobs Claudia's reccs: What to listen to: Business of Drinks What to drink: Kakira (https://www.kakiraspirits.com/) Where she wants to go: Vietnam, Okinawa Who to meet: Marika Cappena, Italicus Recording info August 2026 at Harbour Hotel Southampton (thank you for hosting us!) Subscribe (https://cheerswithnat.substack.com/) | Follow on Instagram | Email

3. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Ep 14, pt 1 – Claudia Carrozzi: Beverage development manager, guild president, and seed planter

   Welcome back to Cheers with Nat – the podcast dedicated to cheering on women in drinks. Today's guest is Claudia Carrozi, Fleet Beverage Development Manager with Cunard (https://www.cunard.com/en-gb) cruises and President of the UK Bartenders' Guild (https://www.ukbartendersguild.co.uk/). Claudia and I had a lot to chat about, so our conversation will be coming at you in two parts. Now, for those of you who listened in to last week's episode with Jo, you might feel a bit of déjà vu here, as part of Claudia's story also takes place on a ship – but this time, we're in the bar! Claudia knew from a young age that she wanted to be a traveling bartender, so in this first part of our conversation, you'll hear how she seized the opportunity to make that happen, where she went in her four years at sea, and how her role changed when Covid brought her back shore side. Then, in part two, we'll we cover Claudia's role with the UK Bartenders' Guild. What stuck with me from this conversation: On her first hotel job: "He was like 'Well, this is a job for men', and I was like, I can do it." On her plan after finishing school: "My plan was learn English, travel the world. You know, be a traveling bartender." On Amit Sood, one of her mentors: "He really mentored me on the basics – how to read a class, how to talk to people, how to explain things. And that was another person that I was like, I really want to be like him. I'll have this experience in my heart probably for the rest of my life, because that was the other kickstart for the other part of my career." On seizing opportunities: "This person picked up the phone and was like, 'I have an opportunity for you'. And I had no idea who this person was, but I was like, bring it on." Links & things: What we're drinking: "The bartender's favourite drink", aka Claudia's daiquiri made with Kakira (https://www.kakiraspirits.com/) gold rum Where Claudia works: Present Cunard (https://www.cunard.com/en-gb) cruises President of the UK Bartenders Guild (https://www.ukbartendersguild.co.uk/) Past Shaker Bar School Shout out to a key mentor there, Amit Sood, former Head of Training Claudia's original cocktails, available on the Cunard cruise lines: Cunard Spritz, with Cunard gin, Aperol, yuzu, tonic and cucumber peel Cunard Rum Punch, a blend of rums with passion fruit, pineapple, and a little bit of absinthe Recording info: August 2026 at Harbour Hotel Southampton (thank you for hosting us!) Subscribe (https://cheerswithnat.substack.com/) | Follow on Instagram | Email

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Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

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