BARTENDER Magazine’s 26 for 26: David Kwon

David Kwon blends technical rigor, creative storytelling, and cultural reverence as a Beverage Director in Oakland, CA. Raised in Tucson, he began in specialty coffee, building training programs and operational systems before pursuing the deeper narrative potential of cocktails. After Camp Runamok, he moved to San Francisco in 2014, worked under noted mentorship, and produced trade education and events nationwide. He has helped shape multiple award-winning bar programs, including a 2025 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards nomination for Best New Bar. Guided by a simple philosophy—make people feel seen—Kwon draws on his team’s culinary heritage, nostalgia-evoking ingredients, and a classics-forward approach to restore integrity to post-pandemic menus while honoring and advancing the Bay Area’s cocktail legacy. Off shift, he’s outdoors or around a board game