Marie King is an internationally-recognized rum and tropical cocktail specialist and the beverage director of Tonga Hut, the oldest Tiki bar in Los Angeles. There she founded the Rum Rhum Club in 2012—a regular gathering of rum enthusiasts that taste and discuss rum and cocktails while learning about all aspects of the industry from leading authorities in the field. With over 30 years in the hospitality industry, Marie brings her extensive first-hand experience to everything she tackles, which has included establishing the first cocktail program at the Huntington Beach Don The Beachcomber, creating the beverage menus for both Tonga Hut locations and Livorno, Italy’s first Tiki bar at The Surfer Joe Diner. She also travels extensively in order to curate one of the largest rum collections in Los Angeles. Most recently, Marie has taken the position of Beverage Director for 23 Restaurant Services and will be responsible for creating the cocktail program for the new Don The Beachcomber locations, scheduled to begin opening in 2023.

Marie has been mentioned in, among others, The Los Angeles Times, Imbibe Magazine, Hemispheres Magazine, Tiki Magazine, Exotica ModerneMagazine, The District, Thrillist, LA Eater, Minimalist Tiki, Destination Cocktails, the forthcoming Los Angeles edition of the renowned City Cocktails series, and has appeared on Discovery Channel’s Josh Gates Tonight, KTLA’s LA Unscripted, NBC’s First Look, Spectrum’s Inside The Issues and is featured in the upcoming documentary film The Donn Of Tiki.

• Judge @ Miami Rum Festival 2015-2018; US Craft Spirits Competition 2016-2017; San Diego & Arizona Tiki Oasis Battle Of The Bartender Competitions; Search for The Real McCoy USBG Competition 2016; Mount Gay “More Taste, Less Waste” Competition 2022; Diplomatico “How Low Can You Go” Competition 2022

• Speaker @ FIBAR Spain, Hukilau Fort Lauderdale, Tiki By The Sea New Jersey, Surfer Joe Summer Festival Italy, Tiki Caliente Palm Springs

• Founder @ Rum Rhum Club, LA, CA