Get to Know TJ
PRESS
Cox has been featured in multiple national restaurant and hospitality publications:
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Bar Business Magazine,
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Edible,
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Thrillist and the
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Miami Herald).
Locally, TJ and the restaurants can be seen regularly in regional media:
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Smiley Pete publications,
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Sophisticated Living magazine
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the Lexington Herald Leader.
His cocktails have earned accolades as
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the Best Cocktail at Kentucky Bourbon Festival for the "Oak Fashioned,” Kentucky’s first barrel aged cocktail
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the Best Margarita in Lexington four years in a row at Corto Lima
TJ’s beverage program was also featured in Bluegrass Table for cocktail creation with Chef Jonathan Lundy, for which he received a nomination for Best Chef in the Southeast (2010).
TJ Cox, Co-Founder &
Career Restaurant Professional
TJ Cox brings 23 years in hospitality and restaurants to Cox Consulting after founding two unique restaurant concepts, opening and operating successfully throughout the Covid-19 pandemic as a beverage program developer and hospitality operations specialist.
Cox co-founded the widely acclaimed pan-Latin Corto Lima restaurant in 2017, where he serves as the co-owner and managing partner while developing and maintaining an award winning beverage program.
TJ became a Certified Sommelier in 2019 just prior to leading the concept development team who created ItalX, a twist on an expected Italian restaurant. In addition to meticulous beverage portfolio development, Cox created and implemented all hiring, training protocols while evolving business procedures for each of the independent units.
Previously, TJ consulted with Greer Companies where he developed specific operational strategies at and implemented lucrative beverage programs solutions for the national franchise Cheddars Casual Cafe. Cox served as the General Manager at Jonathan at Gratz Park for four years after more than a decade in service in all hourly associate positions.
Cox graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science from the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment.
TJ’s hobbies include outdoor recreational activities, playing guitar and reading. In 2022, Cox became a state champion powerlifter for his age and weight class. As an avid health enthusiast and powerlifter, TJ believes training provides him opportunities not just to be healthy and strong but to put into practice the importance of processes and basics.
A southern Kentucky native, TJ now resides in Lexington, Kentucky with his wife and business partner Brie Cox and their dog, Leia–a golden retriever and Norwegian buhund rescue.