Haja of Barcelona Wine Bar is Bringing Culture, Creativity, and Energy Behind the Bar

For Haja, hospitality wasn't something she discovered later in life. It has been part of her story since she was 15. Raised in Charlotte, Haja got her first introduction to the industry through a job at Carowinds, a familiar rite of passage for many Charlotte teenagers. What started as a teenage job became the beginning of a career that has taken her through nearly every side of the hospitality floor, from working on the line and serving to bartending and eventually managing bars.

That experience across different roles has given Haja a perspective that goes beyond what's in the glass. Every bar, position, and environment has added something to her understanding of hospitality, and she carries those lessons with her into every new setting.

"I have been bartending in a lot of different settings behind the bar and each setting I take my knowledge and try to elevate and improve it," Haja says.

For someone who has spent years learning the industry from different angles, that constant evolution has become part of her approach. Hospitality is never one-size-fits-all, and neither is bartending. Each environment offers something new to learn, and Haja has built her craft by remaining open to those experiences.

Finding Her Style Through Culture and Nostalgia

That willingness to learn doesn't mean leaving her own identity behind. In fact, Haja's approach to cocktails is deeply connected to where she comes from. Growing up in an African household influenced her understanding of food, flavor, and what feels like home. Those memories often become the starting point for the drinks she creates. Her cocktail style is rooted in nostalgia. She looks at ingredients, food, drinks, and cultural experiences that mean something to her and finds ways to reinterpret them through a cocktail.

It's an approach that makes creativity personal. Rather than creating a drink simply because a particular ingredient is trending or a flavor combination is popular, Haja looks inward for inspiration. The result is a style that allows her background to become part of her craft.

For Haja, a cocktail can carry a memory. It can reference a familiar flavor, recreate a feeling, or introduce someone to a piece of culture they may not have experienced before. That connection between identity and creativity is what makes her approach behind the bar distinctly her own.

Her Home Behind the Bar: Barcelona Wine Bar

Haja has been part of Barcelona Wine Bar since the Charlotte location opened, making the Spanish tapas restaurant and wine bar an important part of her hospitality journey. Barcelona is built around the idea that dining should be social. Inspired by the culture of Spain, the restaurant combines tapas, wine, conversation, and an atmosphere designed to bring people together.

Its cuisine draws from Spanish, Mediterranean, and South American influences, with seasonal ingredients and rustic small plates that allow bold flavors to speak for themselves. The restaurant's wine program is equally central to the experience, featuring an award-winning selection with a strong focus on wines from Spain and South America.

But what makes Barcelona memorable isn't just what's on the menu. There are no TVs competing for guests' attention. Instead, the environment encourages people to talk, connect, share food, and actually engage with the people they're dining with. Whether it's a dinner with friends, a family celebration, or a night out, the experience is designed to feel communal. And then there's the energy. Guests might find the Barcelona team pouring wine from above the bar or tables, turning the room into part of the celebration. It's playful, interactive, and very much in keeping with the restaurant's approach to hospitality.

For Haja, being part of that environment means working in a place where connection is built into the experience. And connection is one of the things she values most about hospitality. When asked about the most rewarding part of her career, Haja doesn't point to a particular promotion or accomplishment. She points to the people.

"The most rewarding aspect is the people that I have met along my journey," she says. "It makes working in hospitality enjoyable."

After years in the industry, those relationships have become part of what makes the work meaningful.

Staying Authentic in Hospitality

Haja's career has also given her firsthand experience with the realities women can face in hospitality. As a woman in the industry, she says there are both pros and cons, and her experience as a Black woman has added another layer to that reality. She describes the familiar expectation that you sometimes have to work twice as hard to prove yourself. But her message to the women coming into the industry isn't about changing who they are to navigate those challenges. It's about staying authentic.

For future generations of bartenders, Haja hopes to see more women feel comfortable being their true selves despite the hurdles they may encounter. Her own advice reflects that same philosophy: stay strong, be confident, but never stop learning. Sometimes that means knowing when to step back and be a sponge. There is always something to learn from the people around you, whether it's a new technique, a different perspective, a skill, or simply another way of looking at the industry. For Haja, confidence and curiosity can exist at the same time.

Haja Takes the Stage at Battle of the Babes

That combination of experience, creativity, and personality is exactly what Haja will bring to this year's Battle of the Babes Cocktail Competition. This isn't her first cocktail competition, but she knows this one carries a different level of energy and visibility. She had heard about Battle of the Babes from women she knew who had competed in previous years. Their experiences were overwhelmingly positive, and when the opportunity came for Haja to step into the competition herself, she didn't hesitate. She jumped on it.

Now, she'll represent Barcelona Wine Bar alongside other talented female mixologists, bringing her own perspective and creative approach to the competition floor. For Haja, the goal isn't simply to walk away with a title. It's to leave an impression. When asked what she hopes people remember about her after Battle of the Babes, her answer is simple: the energy she brings and, of course, how good her cocktail is.

And that's exactly what makes Battle of the Babes worth watching. Every competitor brings more than a drink to the competition. They bring years of experience, personal influences, distinct creative styles, and the establishments that helped shape them.

Meet Haja at Battle of the Babes

Haja will represent Barcelona Wine Bar at the 6th Annual Battle of the Babes Cocktail Competition on September 27, 2026, from 5 PM to 9 PM at Merchant + Trade, 303 S Church St. Come see Haja bring her culture, creativity, experience, and energy behind the bar as she competes alongside some of Charlotte's talented female mixologists. Get your tickets and join us for an evening celebrating great cocktails, great hospitality, and the women behind the bar.

And if you want to experience Haja in her home environment before competition night, visit Barcelona Wine Bar Charlotte at 101 W Worthington Ave., where Spanish-inspired tapas, wine, and a distinctly social approach to hospitality make the bar a natural extension of Haja's own style.