Episode 9: Lauren Mote from Bittered Sling
Today on the show we have the inimitable Lauren Mote. She's an icon in the world of Canadian bartending. In the episode, we discuss how she originally fell in love with food and beverage, her work in Vancouver at The Refinery, Uva Wine & Cocktail Bar, and The Four Seasons, her company Bittered Sling, and most recently her work with Diageo World Class.
She’s a mixologist; a sommelier; an architect of potions, tonics and elixirs; an accomplished emcee, writer, spirit and cocktail judge; an international spirits diplomat and accredited instructor; award-winning bartender Lauren Mote wears many hats, but she’s perhaps best known as the DIAGEO Reserve Global Cocktailian, and the co-proprietor of Bittered Sling Bitters — an internationally successful portfolio of award-winning cocktail bitters and culinary extracts.
Named the 2015 ‘Bartender of the Year’ by both the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards and DIAGEO World Class Canada, Lauren is a well-respected speaker, educator, mentor and industry advocate, whose reach extends well beyond the bar. She has served as an Associate Director for the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association, has been an event partner and keynote speaker with Tales of the Cocktail® since 2011, and in 2016 Lauren was the first Canadian woman inducted into the “Dames Hall of Fame”, and nominated for “Best Bar Mentor” at the 10th annual Spirited Awards Ceremony.
Lauren is an in demand hospitality consultant, and in the past 5 years has launched and redesigned bar programs at The Nash Restaurant & Off Cut Bar in Calgary, Vancouver’s Café Medina and Burdock & Co., and most recently collaborating as the Beverage Consultant for the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver and their restaurant, YEW seafood + bar. Lauren is also a Development Consultant for the World Class Bartending Program, in addition to her marketing, social media and PR strategies for spirit and hospitality brands under the “Bittered Sling” umbrella of companies.
For further links mentioned in the show, click below:
Crafthouse by Fortessa tools (channel knife and swiss peeler)
Cocktail Kingdom tools (channel knife and swiss peeler)
WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust)
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
