Dre Levon
Clavel Mezcaleria | Baltimore, MD
February 2026
Dre Levon initially came to Baltimore, Maryland, not for the restaurant industry, but to play bass in a local band. While his band was figuring out how to tour, Levon began looking for a job and ended up working a front-of-house position at a sports bar called Turp’s. Although he had grown up around hospitality—his cousins owned and operated a local pizza shop back home in Hudson, New York—it was there that he discovered his passion for public-facing roles and engaging with guests.
After a two-year stint in Washington, D.C., at Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s Brasserie Beck, where Levon was introduced to Belgian beer and sensory analysis, he returned to Baltimore in 2012 to join the team at Woodberry Kitchen. He made cocktails and managed the bar there for around two years, learning the ins and outs of menu development and grinding through long hours of prep before service. Eventually, Woodberry Kitchen’s wine director, Ken McClure, introduced Levon to Rising Star Lane Harlan, who was opening her restaurant and cocktail bar, Clavel Mezcaleria. When Clavel opened its doors in 2016, Levon joined the team three days later.
At the mezcalería, Levon is deeply dedicated to the spirit and has traveled to Mexico about 20 times since joining the team. As mezcal director, he showcases intention and versatility through cocktails like the Tuba, Por Favor with coconut liqueur, Kümmel, tepache, lime, honey, and star anise. He also runs the bar’s mezcal tasting room and is passionate about serving as a resource for industry and non-industry guests alike to sit, learn, talk, and explore mezcal.
2026 StarChefs D.C.-Maryland-Virginia Rising Stars Award Winner
