Episode 135: Ariel Arce (Air's Champagne Parlor & others, NYC; author, Better with Bubbles)

Dubbed "the Champagne Empress of Greenwich Village" by The New York Times, Ariel Arce presides over a quartet of downtown Manhattan, Champagne- and wine-themed establishments including Air's Champagne Parlor, Tokyo Record Bar, Niche Niche, and Special Club. She also just authored her own book (due out November 3), Better with Bubbles.Ariel recently sat down with Andrew to talk about her childhood as a theater kid, getting turned on to hospitality at The Office in Chicago, and her circuitous route to a life devoted to Champagne and restaurants. There are lots of good lessons here about following your own personal passions and life as an entrepreneur.Please consider supporting Andrew Talks to Chefs via our Patreon page–pledge $10 or more per month and gain access to bonus, patron-only episodes, blog posts, polls, and more. Andrew Talks to Chefs is a fully independent podcast and no longer affiliated with our former host network; please visit and bookmark our official website for all show updates, blog posts, personal and virtual appearances, and related information. THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish.We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch.For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed.Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!