Meet Ronal Meza | Artisan & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ronal Meza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ronal, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Staying positive, genuine and humble have helped me tremendously in staying in the game. Countless times I’ve been told to morph into something I’m not, simply to “fit in”. When I walk into a potential retail store to introduce my rich syrups, I’m never nervous. I stand behind my product 100% and I’m proud of my work. Is there a better product out there? Probably. Is there another bartending company out there better than mine? Perhaps; but if there’s one thing I learned after starting my own business is that if I start comparing myself or my products to everyone else out there, I’m going to lose my sanity. I try to focus on myself and my company, I do my best, work hard, and sooner or later, success will follow.What should our readers know about your business?
We are Bar Chefs Houston. We’re a small group of experienced premium bartenders that focus on creating beautiful and delicious drinks while incorporating edible flowers. We make, bottle, and sell our own Rich Syrups, all infused with flowers with the exception of our Old Fashioned Rich Syrup. The fact that we focus on flowers, I believe, is the reason that sets us apart from the competition. Not to mention that by making our own syrups, our cocktails become exclusive and one of a kind. I can’t say it has been easy; it’s absolutely terrifying starting something new, anything really, just getting out of your comfort zone is scary; specially in these trying times. One of my biggest obstacles in starting a bartending business was the fact that I do not drink. I wasn’t sure how I was going to create new cocktails, pair flavors to create new ones. It’s almost like being a chef and not being able to taste your food. Luckily I got a job as a bartender in a beautiful neighborhood bar called The Flat in Montrose. The owner, DJ Sun, started carrying my entire line of syrups which gave me the opportunity to not only incorporate them but assist in creating their new signature cocktail menu as well.Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
What I love about Houston is that it’s constantly evolving. Buffalo Bayou Park is definitely a jewel in our city. You get amazing views of the downtown skyline and it’s roomy enough to fit half of Houston. Discovery Green in downtown is also a tiny gem in the middle of the city. Next would be Bar Boheme, it’s a combo of retro and modern, huge patio illuminated red; it’s gorgeous. I would definitely get the Vietnamese Fries! They’re huge! The Flat would be an excellent choice as well. It’s a beautiful lounge hidden in the heart of Montrose, with a live DJ daily and Happy Hour 7 days a week; they have a huge illuminated and heated patio. Now, if they were craving a good burger I would take them to Rodeo Goat in East Downtown. The Museum of Fine Arts, which in my opinion, is a must; they have incredible exhibitions and some days you can get in for free. And to finish, I would take them to the Kemah Boardwalk and Galveston Island.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Of course! There’s so many, but to quickly name a few I would have to say Nicholas Curtis from Bayou Burns Candle Co. He’s the one that introduced me to local markets and has been by my side since day one. Shylah Salas, who’s an amazing artist, dancer and actress local to Houston. She not only believed in me but helped me get out of my shell, expand my vision and venture into retail stores. Shylah also introduced me to Brooke Evans the Operations Director of A 2nd Cup Coffee, a non-profit coffee shop dedicated to ending human trafficking in Houston. Brooke took a leap of faith and decided to start carrying my Rich Syrups in her coffee shop. To this day she continues to support me 100%. Finally, RC and Luis owners of RL Design Studio. These guys take the word elegance to another level; they’ve been an amazing support system to my business, they’ve provided continuous mentorship and have created tremendous networking opportunities in the field that I aimed to work in from day one. There’s many more, but these people will forever hold a special place in my heart regardless of my outcome.

Website: www.barchefshouston.com

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/barchefshouston

Linkedin: www.LinkedIn.com/ronalmeza

Twitter: https://g.page/bar-chefs-houston

Facebook: Facebook.com/barchefshouston