Chris Vola a graduate of the Columbia University MFA Writing Program, is the head bartender at New York City's neo-speakeasy Little Branch, where he trained under the late cocktail pioneer Sasha Petraske. He is the author of a short story collection, a poetry collection, and two novels. His writings about drinks, literature, food, and pop culture appear widely in print and online journals, including PopMatters, Paste Magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, Thrillist, Supercall, and Timothy McSweeney's Internet Tendency.