Ryan
Barrentine
Beverage & Operations Director
Ryan brings nearly two decades of bartending and hospitality leadership to The Fox, including ten years in New York City’s cocktail scene. From Michelin-starred restaurants in Manhattan to Brooklyn dives, and working for hospitality leaders like Danny Meyer, his experience spans craft spirits, beverage program development, operations, and team training.
He grew up in Clearwater, Florida, planting beach umbrellas in the sand before he was old enough to bartend. That background still shows up in his cocktail style: classic-leaning drinks with a vacation-day looseness. Since moving to Nashville, he’s helped lead award-winning beverage programs with a focus on technique, history, and hospitality.
Ryan was featured as a 2026 Nashville StarChefs Rising Star, won the Nashville Symphony’s 2023 Spirit of Summer Competition, and placed third in the 2025 Leiper’s Fork Whiskey Blend-Off.
His favorite cocktail is something simple with a twist, like a Mojito with Madeira instead of rum or a 50/50 Reposado Tequila cocktail. Whether researching forgotten cocktail history, highlighting artisanal producers, or using local produce in seasonal menus, his goal is to make great drinks and create an experience people want to come back to.