Meet Crawford Mccarthy

We were lucky to catch up with Crawford Mccarthy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Crawford, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I have always loved the world of hospitality, but one day I looked around and saw that the world didn’t love it in the same way. We had forgotten about the people behind the places and products – Sure people loved throwing up quotes from Bourdain and other figures revered for the celebration of the industry. However, they still didn’t want to take the time to see the very people these titans of this world were talking about. They were settling for the same old things – corporate restaurants, generic wines and spirits, and overcrowded and diluted tourist destinations. I wanted to make a change – to be a voice that once again celebrated the people, and what they create, through any and all mediums, so, I set out to do just that.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a writer, photographer, podcaster, and advocate for all things in and around wine, spirits, travel, and food. I’m based in Southern California, but don’t just cover my home area – I cover these industries both nationally and internationally.

I don’t take a traditional approach to what I do. I prefer to break away from media norms, and really speak on behalf of the industry. I like to tell the stories of the people behind the products and places, in a raw and honest light. Showcasing all of the trials and tribulations that lead to such amazing results.

I find that most legacy media tends to all have a similar look and feel to it these days, and I aim to present options to people – both industry and non-industry to find these stories in new way and exciting ways.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three things that were impactful to me were my drive for knowledge – to a possibly obsessive degree – regarding all matters of the various things I am involved in. I love to try and learn as much as I can about whatever it is I am following at any given moment, from the grapes and terroir of a wine, to the themes and intentions of a cocktail bar, where locals go in any given city, and so on.

Early on I suffered from imposter syndrome quite a bit, so it was also was also important for me that I learnt to push past that, and trust myself.

I also pride myself on staying true to myself and beliefs, but always keeping an open mind and keeping relationships with people all over the world. Different cultures will always hold different values and opinions, and respecting these things when interacting with the world – especially around foot and drink – is incredibly important to me.

My advice to anyone is that there is an overwhelming amount of “noise” with social media and the digital world so heavily infused into our daily lives. Being able to stay true to yourself – your own “brand” if you will – and not being afraid to carve out your own space in this world is key. Technology is a massive part of everyday life and brings lots of great benefits to us, but it can also drown us. So essentially my best piece of advice would be to just go outside and touch some grass – or, my preferred activity is to sit in a quiet bad and have a slow moving drink around 3pm. The world seems to stand still when they happens.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for new opportunities. The world is big and there are so many great people making wines, spirits, bars and restaurants, and more. I love meeting people; and love to support and champion the endeavors of those around me. From stories to tell, photographs and videos to take, podcasts to record, places to see, or just sitting down for a drink and a conversation, I welcome everyone to reach out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.TheBestCeats.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/thebestceats
• Other: https://Patreon.com/TheBestCeats