When you meet Henry Orkin, the first thing that comes to mind is that Henry is a really, really nice guy. With a big smile, quiet attitude and a unique hat that makes you think of a cheerful Slash, Henry stands out from other mixologists precisely because he doesn’t stand out, he is quiet and smooth and lets his passion and creations do the talking.
With a passion for non-urban venues, Henry is perfecting his skills before jumping in his venue of choice, be it a fishing/skiing/hunting lodge, rural pub, or perhaps a cruise ship – any place where he can blend his new found bartending abilities with his career path in outdoor recreation and eco-tourism.
Henry is among the elite of bartenders in Canada that have taken the path of perfect their skills by a continuous education. Since graduating from the Bartenderone MasterClass, he has enhanced his knowledge with one specialized workshop after another: from Bourbon to Mezcal, Henry has learnt from some of the industry’s brightest minds. The International BarChef Certification (IBC) thus, was a logical step to take his bartending abilities to totally new levels.
As a proud disciple of Torontonian Master Mixologist Gavin Macmillan, Henry’s spirit of choice is Gin, which he finds to be the most pleasant spirit to work with as there are so many wildly different flavour profiles and aromas to choose from – meaning almost endless possibilities for any palate.
For Henry, the biggest surprise IBC revealed to him was the sheer amount of flavours, liqueurs, bitters, and other drink additives that you have at your disposal. Coming from a background of limited flavour experience, for Henry, this course was an eye opener to the incredible diversity in the world of flavours.
In Henry’s own words for those considering taking the IBC:
“Be confident in yourself and keep an open mind. Even if you are inexperienced and unemployed, taking the class with experienced professional bartenders and perhaps your previous instructors, everyone is there because they have something to learn. Everyone is creative in their own way, and we are all in a constant learning process”
Here is Henry’s final creation to obtain his IBC diploma. Judge it by yourself and remember to enjoy it!
Apricot Slam by Henry Orkin:
- 1.5oz Brandy
- .75oz Apricot Liqueur (Bohls Apricot Brandy works quite well)
- .75oz Cynar
- Stirred with ice (as you would a Negroni) and strained over fresh ice into a rocks glass
Do you dream of travelling the world as a bartender,making money working overseas while meeting sexy people every night?
Then the IBC is for you. Check it here: http://ow.ly/pGMuX
See you behind the bar!
“Hey, you’re like Tom Cruise in that movie” a line often heard by
The best bartender in the world destroys five myths about bartending
After being chosen as the best among 10 of the finest Canadian bartenders for his bartending knowledge, skills and showmanship behind the bar, BartenderOne graduate and DIAGEO World Class Canada Bartender of the Year, Jenner Cormier gave an interview to the Toronto Star where he shared his perspective on some of the myths that surround the bartending profession.
Check the five myths around bartending Jenner wants to destroy here:
1- Bartenders do it for money
“Depending on your job and the location of your bar, there is certainly money to be made in the service industry. However, most cocktail bartenders do it for the love and passion of the craft, not the paycheque. Most cocktail bartenders will work multiple jobs on the side to supplement their passion for bartending.”
2- Bartenders have short, glamorous shifts.
“The part of cocktail bartending that no one sees is the preparation that happens before the doors open. Most times, tasks like pressing fresh juices, and making syrups, shrubs and bitters are shared among staff, but it can vary. Big cocktail bars will go through dozens of liters of fresh citrus in a week and that juice has to come from somewhere. …Once all the smoke settles and last call has happened, it is time to clean up and break down the bar. We’re still cleaning up long after our customers have gone to sleep.”
3- Bartenders are dropouts
“Unfortunately, there is an assumption that most service industry staff are high school or university dropouts. Over the past few years however, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many brilliant people, most of whom completed post-secondary education.”
4- Bartenders are lazy
“Sleeping until noon does not make bartenders lazy — especially when they were working at full tilt until four in the morning! We simply work on a shifted schedule than those working nine to five. But we work just as hard. Also, think about shaking a shake weight for eight hours a night. Depending on the volume that your bar is pumping out, bar shifts can be mentally and physically exhausting. Especially in a cocktail setting when each drink has three to six ingredients and you are putting out 200-plus cocktails in a night. It is critical to stay mentally sharp for very long periods of time.”
5- All bartenders do”flair”
“Tom Cruise has put an image in the public’s mind about what bartenders do at work. I personally do not know how to flip a bottle and I don’t think many of my colleagues do either. Now don’t get me wrong, there is a small amount of ‘working flair’ that is involved in keeping your guests interested in what is going on behind the bar, but it is nowhere close to what is depicted in the media”
Original Source:
Toronto Star Online. Life, Food & Wine Section. Five bartending myths from the best in the business. Available at: http://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2013/06/21/five_bartending_myths_from_the_best_in_the_business.html