Rub shoulders with international bar stars and brand ambassadors at Vancouver Cocktail Week
Stop in for cinq à sept at one of Vancouver Cocktail Week’s participating bars and you never know who might be perched on the bar stool next to yours. It might be an out-of-town cocktail lover, a global brand ambassador or a rock star bartender from overseas. Hanging out with VCW visitors is one of the most exciting aspects of the whole week.
Here are just a few bar stars we know will be in town, and where you can see them — note that many will also be at the Black and White Gala.
James Grant, 2021 World Class Global Bartender of the Year and bar manager of Toronto’s famed Library Bar, will lead a pop-up at Prophecy on March 4.
Sakiko Hirota from Japan’s Saito Shuzo brewery will be representing Eikun sake brand at the Signature Sunday Cocktail Brunch at ARC Restaurant on March 2.
Rogerio Igarashi Vaz pops over from Tokyo for a cocktail coup by the renowned Asia’s 50 Best Bars-anointed Bar Trench at Meo on March 5.
Shinji Inaba, representative for CHOYA, travels from Osaka, Japan, to host the Understanding Umeshu seminar at Zarak on March 5.
Keegan McGregor, 2024 World Class Global Bartender of the Year and bar manager of Halifax’s popular Highwayman Restaurant & Bar, will hit Prophecy for a pop-up on March 6.
Nozomi Odaohara of Nikka Whisky will be arriving from Japan to host the Smoke, Malt & Salt: Japanese Whisky Tasting Night at Carlino on March 4.
Alessio Pane of Vecchio Amaro del Capo joins bitters lovers from Italy to host an amaro master class at Carlino on March 6.
Hisatsugu Saito makes a returns appearance from the 50 Best Bars Discovery Owl & Rooster Bar in Sapporo, Japan, for a sold out bar takeover at Bao Bei on March 5.
Tony Salles of El Tequileno travels north from Mexico to host Mexico’s Best Kept Secret at Chambar on March 3.
Ben Yabrow, partner and head bartender at New York City’s Sip & Guzzle, will host a pop-up at Good Thief on March 3 (multiple seatings; reservations essential) and a seminar on March 4.
For more information and tickets, visit thealchemistmagazine.ca/vcw
