TORONTO — Le Mal Nécessaire mixologist Romain Cavelier demonstrated his passion for the craft, taking the top prize at Monday’s MadeWithLove mixology competition, which saw finalists take inspiration from a street-art painting and a spirit to create cocktails at Toronto’s Everleigh Club.
After cross-country semi-finals, hopefuls competed to be crowned the 2015 Best Bartender. “The MadeWithLove competition is a platform to inspire and educate bartenders as well as consumers throughout the country. In the past few years, Eastern Canada cocktail culture has evolved tremendously, and the results are proof of it,” said Pierre-Olivier Trempe, founder of MadeWithLove.
Cavelier’s winning Le Saint-Laurent Sour cocktail was made with Wild Turkey Bourbon, beet syrup, apple juice infused with Montreal steak spices, lemon juice, egg white and walnut.
The finalists were Rémi Bernard, Quebec City; Patrice Plante, Quebec City; Matthew Boyle, Halifax; Michael Shum, Vancouver; Jonathan Elbaz, Montreal; Michael Hopper, Halifax; and William Schifke, Winnipeg. They all won trips to distillery facilities in Italy, Kentucky, Jamaica and Mexico.
