Three Cheers

Introduction

This book is dedicated to the love of cocktails in all their many forms. Here you will find a drink to suit your every mood and occasion. Explore the world of the classics, try your hand at something new, or experience your favorite drink completely spirit-free. Whether you are a beginner or consider yourself an expert, this book will surely have something for you!

But first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kaitlyn Stewart, and my platform is known as Like•a•ble Cocktails. I am an award-winning bartender who was once named the best in the world! True story. I have been mixing and shaking up drinks for more than twenty years and have dedicated my life to the pursuit of the perfect cocktail.

I grew up in a hospitality family. My mom and dad met while working at a restaurant and practically raised my sister and me in booth 17. At a young age, I learned from them the importance of affability, and that it was more than just making sure people were enjoying the food and drinks they ordered—it meant going above and beyond, to exceed people’s expectations and anticipate their needs. Though my love and passion for hospitality, food, and flavors was kindled as a kid in restaurants, it really started with my grandma. I have so many fond memories of sitting at the kitchen table, watching my grandma work her magic with whatever she had in the fridge. They weren’t always the fanciest meals, but they certainly were always made with love. She could turn a basic TV dinner into a gourmet meal, and you’d never know the difference. My grandma was the type of person to always have an extra plate of food in the fridge just in case there was an extra person joining us at the table. She always made sure you felt welcomed.

I didn’t set out to be a bartender. Like many people, I started bartending to help pay for university. I was going to school for film and television studies while bartending and teaching dance simultaneously. I worked at every type of bar and restaurant imaginable—from chain restaurants to fancy high-end hotels to nitty-gritty dive bars—which all taught me something different about bartending. It wasn’t until I met my first real bar mentor, Justin Taylor, in 2014, that I learned I could turn my love for bartending into a career that would one day take me around the world. He taught me how to use cocktail making as a creative outlet and how to tell stories through flavors. He also entered me in my first bartending competition, which ended up changing my life forever.

The year was 2017, and after competing in several local cocktail competitions I decided to throw my hat in the ring for the biggest and most prestigious international bartending competition, World Class, conducted by Diageo Spirits. I had no real expectations going into this competition, but as a Capricorn I was going to do my damnedest to win! First I had to compete and win in my home country before going up against all the other countries’ winners from around the world. The global finals were held in Mexico City that year, with sixty of the world’s best bartenders all representing their countries and hoping to win the title of World’s Best Bartender. As the weeklong competition progressed, the competitors were cut down from sixty to ten, then ten to four. It was a surreal experience even making it to the top four. And then when they called my name as the winner, I could hardly believe it. Not only was I the first Canadian to win the title of World’s Best Bartender, but I was only the second female to take home the prestigious award. That moment changed the trajectory of my life forever. I started traveling all over, giving seminars to bartenders and doing guest bartending shifts at some of the world’s best bars while experiencing different cultures, flavors, and forms of hospitality.

And then the pandemic hit. Which forced me, for the first time in a long time, to stay grounded and reassess what my future looked like. Was it time to get that “real job”? Hell no! I decided to turn what I was truly passionate about into my “real job.” And so, Like•a•ble Cocktails was born, which helped me connect with my “regulars” and have a creative outlet. I couldn’t get behind a real bar, so I brought the bar to my apartment and started making videos and uploading them to social media. I quickly realized that I could reach even more people virtually than I ever could in person. I was able to share my passion and knowledge with whoever wanted to listen. In a way, social media became a new form of hospitality for me.

My goal as a bartender has always been to make cocktails feel inclusive and accessible to everyone—and I mean everyone. From the basic vodka soda drinker to the classic cocktail lover, to the nondrinker. I want to show everyone how easy it can be to mix up a tasty drink no matter your mood. And that’s exactly what I intend to do here with this book. Now, how often can you say you learned how to make drinks from one of the best bartenders in the world?