Today we’d like to introduce you to Björn Taylor.
Hi Björn , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey into hospitality wasn’t exactly a straight line. I’m originally from Houston, Texas, where I studied graphic design and eventually worked at a design firm. While I appreciated the creative foundation it gave me, I quickly realized that the traditional agency environment wasn’t quite for me. I found myself more inspired by the independent creative scene, doing freelance graphic design and artwork for musicians and contributing to a zine called Hater. That period really shaped how I approached creativity, collaboration, and finding my own voice.
Hospitality was always part of my life, but initially it was a way to support myself while pursuing other creative interests. Over time, I began to recognize that bartending offered its own form of artistic expression. There was something fascinating about the intersection of technique, presentation, culture, and human connection.
In 2011, I made the move from Houston to Austin, which turned out to be one of the most pivotal decisions of my career. Austin was in the middle of an incredible cultural transformation. Its food, beverage, music, and arts communities were evolving, and there was this palpable energy surrounding the city’s emerging culinary identity. I arrived at a time when there was an opportunity not only to witness that growth but to become part of it.
I wanted to move beyond high-volume bartending and immerse myself in the craft. My time at Péché, one of Austin’s pioneering cocktail bars, helped introduce me to a more intentional approach to making drinks. From there, I began educating myself, refining my techniques, and learning from some incredibly talented people in the industry.
Since 2013, I’ve had the opportunity to work in and help open some of Austin’s most celebrated restaurants and bars, including Qui, Otoko, Emmer & Rye, and Midnight Cowboy. Working in these ambitious, nationally recognized culinary environments helped shape my understanding of hospitality. I became fascinated not just with what was in the glass, but with how a beverage program could complement food, tell a story, and contribute to an entire experience.
As my career evolved, I moved into leadership and creative development, serving as Bar Manager at Watertrade and later as Assistant General Manager and Beverage Director for the restaurants at ARRIVE Austin. In 2023, I also had the opportunity to consult on beverage programs for Aaron Franklin’s Uptown Sports Club and Equipment Room at Hotel Magdalena.
Looking back, I can see how my background in graphic design has influenced nearly everything I’ve done. Whether I’m developing a cocktail menu, building a beverage program, creating a visual identity, or curating an experience, I’m approaching it through the same creative lens. I think about composition, balance, storytelling, and how individual elements work together to create something memorable.
Over the years, my relationship with hospitality has continued to evolve. Having spent more than two decades behind bars and in restaurants, I’ve become particularly passionate about changing the conversation around drinking culture. As someone who has personally embraced sobriety, I’ve found a renewed sense of purpose in showing that thoughtful, sophisticated beverage experiences don’t have to revolve around alcohol.
Today, my work with Oddbird, a premium non-alcoholic wine producer, allows me to combine my background in fine dining, beverage innovation, education, and hospitality with my advocacy for more inclusive drinking experiences. It’s an opportunity to help bridge the gap between traditional wine culture and the growing world of mindful consumption.
At the heart of it all, I still consider myself a creative first. Bartending just happened to become one of my most meaningful artistic mediums. And even after 20-plus years in hospitality, I feel like I’m still discovering new ways to express that creativity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think anyone’s journey is entirely smooth. There’s always some form of adversity that comes with growth, and for me, one of the biggest challenges was my relationship with alcohol.
Coming up in the hospitality industry, drinking was deeply ingrained in the culture. It was often encouraged, normalized, and sometimes even celebrated as part of the lifestyle. When you’re young and building a career around something, it can be difficult to recognize when the culture you’re participating in is no longer serving you.
For a long time, I managed to navigate my career while struggling with my own relationship with alcohol. I was fortunate to experience professional success, work alongside incredibly talented people, and develop my craft, but personally, I eventually realized that alcohol wasn’t contributing anything positive to my life. In many ways, it was taking away from the very things I was working so hard to build.
Making the decision to stop drinking was one of the most important turning points in my life. It gave me a different perspective, not only on myself but also on the industry I had spent so many years in.
What’s interesting is that I never lost my passion for the craft. I still love making cocktails, working with spirits, exploring flavors, and creating memorable experiences. I just realized that I didn’t have to consume alcohol to appreciate or contribute to the culture surrounding it.
That realization opened up an entirely new creative direction for me. I began exploring non-alcoholic beverages with the same curiosity, technique, and attention to detail that I had developed throughout my career. What initially started as a personal lifestyle change eventually became an opportunity to advocate for a more inclusive and mindful approach to drinking.
Today, I feel fortunate to be part of a growing movement that’s challenging traditional ideas about what a sophisticated drinking experience can look like. I’m still very much a bartender at heart, and I still create alcoholic cocktails, but now I also get to help expand the possibilities of what hospitality can offer.
I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth doesn’t always mean leaving something behind. Sometimes it means redefining your relationship with it and finding a healthier, more meaningful way forward.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself both a hospitality professional and an artist. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience Austin’s cultural evolution firsthand and, in many ways, allow the city and its creative community to shape my own growth and success.
I don’t necessarily see myself as different from anyone else pursuing their passions. I simply have my own perspective, experiences, and creative voice. Whether it’s through cocktails, visual art, music, or hospitality, my goal has always been to create meaningful experiences that bring people together.
At the end of the day, all of these disciplines are connected for me. They’re different forms of expression, and I feel fortunate to have found ways to bring them together through my work. Austin has given me the space to explore that creativity, evolve, and contribute something of my own to the culture that helped shape me.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Send me a message on instagram @kingbjornce
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