From Giving Shots to Serving Them: Meet Chattanooga’s Cocktail Queen
Former dancer turned nurse turned award-winning bartender, Raven Humphrey has proven there's not much she can't do. Today, she is the Co-owner and Beverage and Events Director of Calliope, a restaurant named one of the top 50 in the U.S. by "The New York Times." Image: Tim Moore
Before she became a household name on the hospitality scene, Raven Humphrey was putting herself through nursing school by bartending. She soon discovered she’d rather make shots than give them. Today, she is co-owner and beverage and events director of Calliope, Chattanooga’s nationally recognized restaurant helmed by James Beard Finalist Chef Khaled AlBanna. Whether she’s mixing up a new drink or making her own Amaro in Italy, everything Raven does is rooted in creativity, driven by a desire to serve, and executed with attention to detail. Raise a glass to the woman raising the bar on Chattanooga’s cocktail scene!
You grew up in a rural part of Tennessee and are part Italian. Did those things influence your approach to hospitality?
Yes, in that both my grandmother on my mom’s side and my Nonna on my dad’s side loved to entertain. They enjoyed having parties and hosting people, and I loved growing up around that and being a part of it. That’s how I knew I wanted to do something that involved caring for people, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like.
Is it true your earliest aspiration was to become a Rockette?
Yes, but I wasn’t tall enough! I started dancing at age three, and in high school, I won a dance scholarship and got to go to New York and take some classes at Juilliard. My plan was to study dance in college, but after high school, I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to do, so I went to community college for a little while. I ended up dropping out and traveling instead.
You ended up becoming a nurse. Can you tell us how you went from giving shots to serving them?
I put myself through nursing school by bartending and discovered that, while I loved nursing, I loved bartending and the event industry more. I eventually left nursing after two years and started an event company called Black Bird Events. Then the pandemic happened, and I went to work at the Edwin Hotel, where I met Chef Khaled.
I had made a name for myself in bartending competitions, and my cocktails had been featured in Men’s Journal and Southern Home magazines, so when we decided to become business partners and open Calliope, it made sense for me to be the beverage and events director. We took a leap of faith by opening during a pandemic, but it took off!
What did you learn in your former careers that has helped you in your current role?
Patience! With dancing, you don’t see someone do a triple pirouette and say, “Oh, I can do that.” It’s a process that takes time, guidance, and practice. The other thing I learned was to have thick skin. Not everyone will like what you do, and you have to learn not to take that personally.
Calliope is known for its culturally diverse flavor profile. How did you create a drink menu that felt global but familiar?
Chef and I talked a lot about the flavor direction and what the menu would look like before we opened. Then I just started playing. I looked at all our flavors and the spices we use, then found spirits that would pair well with them.
Our menu changes seasonally, so I am always creating things based on what we are using at the time. When I think about drinks, I consider how the ingredients taste both separately and together, and whether they all balance.
Where do you get inspiration for your cocktail creations?
Creating cocktails is just who I am, and a lot of my inspiration comes from crazy dreams I have about them. I keep a book beside my bed so I can write them down as soon as I wake up. I also watch trends, look at what others are doing, and try to be as creative and inventive as I can without being too off-the-wall.
If you could make a cocktail for any famous person, living or passed, who would it be, what would you make, and why?
It would be Audrey Hepburn, and I’d make a White Angel. It was her drink in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s half gin, half vodka, with an olive, and it’s one of the simplest, most basic drinks you could ever make. I’d love to just sit down with her in a room, talk, and make that drink.
What is the most unusual cocktail you’ve ever created?
I was once in a bartending competition where they gave us a “surprise ingredient,” and 60 seconds to come up with a cocktail. Mine was squid ink. I used it like olive juice and added vodka. It was like a dirty martini, but salty, briny, and black. I called it “The Evil Queen,” and I won the competition.
You are going to Italy this summer to make your own Amaro. How did that come about?
Amaro (a bittersweet Italian herbal liqueur) is not as common here as it is in Italy, but I love it. On a trip to Italy, I was meeting one of our importers, and he didn’t know I knew Amaro or that I was such a fan. He connected me with the award-winning company MZERO, and I’ll be partnering with them to create my own version for use in the restaurant. It’s very exciting!
What would your perfect day in Chattanooga look like?
I’d start with a hike or paddleboard. Chattanooga is such an outdoor city, and I love being outside. Then, I’d head to lunch at Boathouse. It’s one of my favorite places. It’s been around for years, it’s consistent, and the owners are good people. Plus, the view is amazing! Later, I’d go to dinner at Alleia.
When you aren’t working, how do you fill your own cup?
I like to do yoga at Yoga Landing, and I try to get in there as much as I can. I think it’s important, mental health-wise. I always try to make time to just hang with family and friends — they recharge me. But there are also times when I like to take it easy, stay home, and do nothing. It can go either way for me.
What is one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you?
That I can drive a tractor! I grew up on a farm about 45 minutes from Chattanooga, and I can also drive a four-wheeler and milk a cow!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given and from whom?
It was from my Uncle Eddie, who was always encouraging me to “Just do it — take a leap.” That proved to be very useful advice when I was making career changes.
LIGHTNING ROUND
If you could drink only one cocktail for the rest of your life, what would it be? An Old Fashioned.
Favorite menu item at Calliope? Gulf Shrimp. If you don’t take my advice on anything else, take it on this! It’s been on the menu from day one, and it’s an explosion of flavors.
Favorite hidden gem in Chattanooga? It’s not that hidden anymore, but Stringer’s Ridge in North Shore. You can run, mountain bike, or walk. It’s beautiful.
Last book you read for fun? A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
What are three things you can’t live without? Great food, great wine, and being outdoors.
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Bonny Osterhage
Bonny Osterhage is a professional journalist with more than 25 years of experience in both print and digital media. An avid fitness fanatic, when she isn't exploring the next trending topic, Bonny can be found cycling, running, and leading classes at SolidCore. Find more of her work at Mind Body Green, The List, Business Insider, and more.