This story originally appeared in our August 19 – September 1, 2026 print edition. Check out the edition online here and find where you can get a print edition near you here.
Al Coleman leads the beverage program at Wildweed, one of Cincinnati’s most celebrated and respected restaurants.
James Beard Award-nominated chef David Jackman and his wife Lydia opened the upscale pasta-centric restaurant with a focus on hand-forged ingredients in 2024, at 1301 Walnut St. in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. It’s been in the national spotlight ever since, getting prominent features in the New York Times, Bon Appétit, the Wall Street Journal and more.
“I wanted to work here since I heard it was opening,” Coleman said.
Coleman, who’s been at the restaurant since November 2025, was drawn to Jackman’s idea of excellence.
“David pushes his staff to take it further,” they said.
Coleman left their job crafting the cocktail menu at another upscale restaurant for a chance to just be inside the building.
“When I started everyone knew that I was a skilled bartender. But I was like, ‘just put me where you need me,’” They said. “I just wanted to be here.”
Naturally, Coleman ended up behind the bar. They humbly attribute much of their recent success to luck, but in reality, their talent and drive is what led them into such a coveted role.
“I fell into it at the right time,” they said. “Then all of a sudden, the house cocktails were all made by me.”
There’s a natural alignment to Wildweed’s ethos and Coleman’s upbringing.
“This place is about the land we’re on,” they said. “This is about the Midwest. And so it kind of hit me one day. My family has been in this region for basically as far back as records go. “They’ve always been farmers. They’ve always tended to this land.”
Coleman takes a holistic approach to craft cocktailing. It’s about respecting the land and paying homage to where they came from and working within their community sustainably.
At Wildweed, consistent ingredients are fleeting. And that’s not a bad thing.
At the beginning of a shift, Coleman will walk down into the basement prep kitchen and take a look at what’s in the walk-in fridge because it is a steady parade of fresh and unique produce.
“David will be like, ‘I’ve got something cool for you,’ and it’ll be like the nicest smelling melon I’ve ever seen in my life and he’s like, ‘Just think about what you could do with this,’” they said.
The creative possibilities within Wildweed’s walls are virtually endless.
“There’s so many odd and amazing tools here,” they said. “There’s a centrifuge so you can completely clarify things within minutes.”
Coleman believes mixology has a supernatural element.
“I’m a haunted individual. I think most of us are,” they said. “I’ve lived a lot of places. I’ve known a lot of people. I’ve failed a lot of love … all of that I carry with me in my work.”
Sometimes inspiration strikes at really strange times that aren’t always convenient. Other times it’s more reasonable.
“I will typically be working a bar shift here and an idea will hit me or I’ll notice spirits that we aren’t going through,” they said. “So sometimes I’ll have strange flavor combinations outside of here, you know … write it down … we need to do something with this.”
How do they know when a drink is done, especially when the ingredients can become so complicated? Much like any artist, Coleman said they can feel it.
They also pull on their years of experience in various roles within the industry when creating new menus and collaborating with the team of bartenders. From working at a sushi restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, to stints as a barista in Los Angeles, to managing a coffee shop in Manchester, England, they’ve done it all.
“It’s the only thing that I am able to stick to in my life,” they said. “I cannot do a nine-to-five. I’ve tried it.”
Working at Wildweed hasn’t just been helpful from a career perspective; it’s been therapeutic on an extremely personal level.
“This is the first place I’ve been where they’ve only known me as a trans person,” they said. “It’s the first place that I’ve actually ever been myself and that people have met me as myself.”
It’s been really weird to go from being a woman for 30 years and figuring out what rules come with that, Coleman added. They felt like they were wearing a costume every day.
“I was extremely unhappy,” they said. “Now I can’t really hide anything. People look at me and immediately know. And I just can’t separate my work in that.”
They’ve struggled to align themselves with the status quo, and while transitioning has unlocked a goldmine for Coleman, it comes with a new set of gaps to close.
“I don’t know what the rules are,” they said. “The rules that do exist weren’t created for anyone like me.”
Their healing journey has allowed them to show up to work with a new sense of freedom.
“These are the most authentic kind of interactions I’ve had today,” Coleman said. “Which is the most authentic way of producing art.”
Laura Palmer
- 1.5 oz earl grey gin (made by simply adding any earl grey tea to any bottle of gin)
- 0.75 oz Italicus
- 0.5 oz earl grey-infused simple syrup
- 0.5 oz of lemon juice
- 2 dashes of lemon bitters
- Shake, strain and serve up!
This article appears in August 19 – September 1, 2026.
