We’ve highlighted bartenders in our Behind the Bar series for more than two years, featuring a diverse range of bartenders from various backgrounds. Our latest expert mixologist, Jennifer Ouellette, tends bar at LoLA’s Mount Pleasant location.
Ouellette has 10 years of bartending experience, starting in Sumter, South Carolina, an Air Force town where a 23-year-old Ouellette mixed her first drink at Palmetto Oyster House. From there, Ouellette became the bar manager at J O’Grady’s, an Irish pub. That’s where her career was launched.
“You see people coming from all over. Meeting different people every day, you have no idea where they’re coming from or what kind of day they are having. It’s fascinating,” Ouellette shared.
Spending time with Ouellette, it’s clear that family is her foundation. After earning a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Winthrop University, Ouellette decided to pause her education to spend time with her grandmother.
“It was more of a blessing in disguise. It was right before COVID-19. I was glad to spend time with her before she couldn’t go outside anymore,” reflected Ouellette.
Cantina 76 became the next stop in Ouellette’s bartending career. The location was ideal because it was near her grandmother’s house. After working for five years at Cantina, Ouellette added the Mustard Seed to her experience and worked at both places. When LoLA eventually replaced Mustard Seed, an inside joke emerged that Ouellette “just came with the building.”
“Working at LoLA’s has been a wonderful experience. We don’t have to deal too much with belligerent guests, honestly,” Ouellette explained. Known as the “Water Queen,” Ouellette is the bartender who truly looks out for you and your well-being.
She got the nickname because Ouellette isn’t afraid to cut someone off if she feels they have been drinking too much. People are drawn to her because she exudes a caring vibe. She’s also a big jokester and will have you rolling off your seat with laughter. “I want to foster an environment where it feels almost like home when you’re at LoLA. If you need some food, I’m like, ‘Hey, let’s get you something to eat so you’re not hurting in the morning,’” expressed Ouellette.
When Ouellette isn’t at the restaurant fixing beverages and cocktails for guests, she is typically spending time with her fiancé. She has a cat named Miso, but don’t call her a cat lady. Ouellette enjoys tanning at Folly Beach, lifting weights at the gym and watching TV. True crime and reality shows like “Below Deck” are her favorites. “At the end of the day, I’m a workaholic because I’m still paying back student loans.”
By Maurice J. Frazier
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