Julia Momosé is a bartender, writer, business owner, and the creative force behind Kumiko, the acclaimed Japanese dining bar in Chicago. Momosé’s approach to cocktails and spiritfree beverages has garnered her international renown, from Time magazine to Food & Wine and a spot on The World’s 50 Best Bars. In 2022, Momosé won the Chicago Exceptional Cocktails Award from the Michelin Guide.
She authored The Spiritfree Manifesto, a widely circulated call-to-action to change public perception of non-alcoholic drinks. In addition, Momosé’s advocacy for her industry during the pandemic led to Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signing HB 2682, a bill allowing cocktails and mixed drinks to be sold for off-site consumption.
Momosé also serves as a mentor for Speed-Rack, a national women’s bartending competition. Her much-anticipated debut book The Way of the Cocktail (co-authored with Emma Janzen) was named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2021 from Vanity Fair, Boston Globe, and WIRED.