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Cocktail Kitchen

CKS July 29 10: Bartender Ben de Champlain

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Well he's certainly as tattooed as he is lovable - the 13 year veteran chef-recently-turned-bartender Ben de Champlain was playing on home soil with one huge advantage - it’s his menu. Usually going last in the month doesn't hurt his chances either. When flavour pairing counts the most it's not surprising that Ben created an inventive but simple cocktail list that incorporated some of the cooking elements and ingredients found in his three-course menu.

El Rey

1 oz Hornitos tequila

1 oz fennel braising liquid (water, lime juice and salt infused with roasted fennel)

1/2 oz cilantro jalapeno water

1/4 oz fennel sherry bitters

1/2 simple syrup

"Inspiration for this cocktail came from the most Canadian of cocktails, the Caeser. By incorporating some of the more dominant flavours of the first dish I was able to come up with a light and savory alternative to clamato juice and the result was the El Rey, or King in spanish" says Ben.

El Diablo De Fleur

1 oz Hornitos Tequila

1 oz Hibiscus cinnamon syrup

1/2 oz Lime juice

1/4 oz Flower Bitters

3 ozs Homemade Ginger Beer

"This cocktail came from more of a terroir inspiration. Jerk spice, ginger beer, and hibiscus flowers are all part of any complete trip to a carribean island and their natural affinity to one another lead to a tasty pairing, sweet, sour and spicy" says Ben.

El Fuego

1 oz Hornitos Tequila

1/2 oz Ancho chile tequila bitters

1/4 oz Chartruese

1 muddled key lime

1 Barspoon Piloncillo raw mexican sugar

"For my last cocktail I wanted to have something that not only paired with the food but also really showcased the spirit as well. A bit of smoke imparted by burning the sugar onto the muddled limes brought a rich sweetness matching up with the herbal complexity of the Chartruese for a well rounded spirit forward finish" says Ben.

All the bartenders were anxiously awaiting the results from the ballots after Ben's performance for the finale of July's Cocktail Kitchen.

Not a moment too soon, Ray bursts out of the office to announce that Ben wins by 0.2 points over the second place competitor! Here’s what we learned from this past month’s competitors and guests - what makes the best food and cocktail pairing isn’t necessarily just the cocktail - it’s all in the connection - Ben’s passion and story-telling is sincere and incredibly passionate. You don’t have to be a rocket-scientist to see how much he wanted the win. Ben’s cocktails had a behind the scenes story to do directly with the food menu and some heavy duty regional inspiration. He will compete this month where France meets Courvoisier Cognac in a gorgeous marriage of french food, cocktails and culture.