Nora Furst, originally from Seattle, grew up in a restaurant family. She began her career in hospitality at age 15 washing dishes. She continued to grow in the Seattle restaurant and bar scene while finishing her degree in Education and creative writing. At 24 she began bartending and quickly took on a management role, opening Local 360 in Belltown under acclaimed club owner and restaurateur Marcus Charles. 

She has spent the last 12 years establishing herself in San Francisco. She cut her teeth as bar manager at Lolinda and beverage consultant for Belga and Delarosa. She consulted on the beverage programs at Dosa among many others, and opened a bar in Brazil from the ground up in just 10 days. In 2016 she was heralded Bartender of the Year by 7x7 Magazine. More recently, as an operating partner and beverage director, she opened Uma Casa Restaurant in San Francisco's Noe Valley alongside chef Telmo Faria. She is currently a partner at West Beverage Consulting, Furst Beverage (a canned Spritz company), and Buddy (her new brick and mortar in SF).