Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

2015 Cocktail Ideation Session Bartenders

Nader Chabaane, Director of Mixology, Le Fairmont Château Frontenac, Quebec

Nader was born in Tunisia and raised in Paris. He received a management degree in Paris and was inspired by the work of Colin Field, head bartender of the famous Hemingway Bar in Paris.

Chabaane went on to manage the famous restaurant Pierre's in the Hamptons and after returning to Paris, helped make Blind Bar one of the top 10 best cocktail bars in France.

In 2014, he put his shaker back in his suitcase and left for Quebec to open Le SAM, the cocktail bar at Château Frontenac.

Tom Hogan, Head Craftsman, Fairmont Singapore

Known for approaching bartending as a fine form, Tom's approach combines the craft of classic cocktail making with the flair of modern experimental mixology. As a painter and sculptor, his attention to detail extends from what goes into each cocktail to how it is presented.

Born in Binghamton, New York, he honed his craft behind the bar at notable Chicagoan institutions such as Bernard's Bar at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and North Pond Restaurant for more than five years before embarking on his first foray into Asia in 2013. He is a graduate of the School of Arts Institute of Chicago.

Erik Lorincz, Head Bartender, The Savoy, a Fairmont-Managed Hotel in London

Erik started his career by graduating from Hospitality School in his native Slovakia in 1999. Afterward, he found a bartending book by Roman Uhlir that inspired him to learn about bartending. He joined a three-month intensive bartending program in Prague run by Uhlir who became his first mentor.

His career has included many awards such as the World Class Bartender of the year, Condé Nast Bartender of the Year, and one of the 100 Best Things in London, according to GQ. He became the head bartender at the Savoy's American Bar in 2010. In 2011, the bar was awarded World Best Bar and Erik an International Bartender of the Year.

John Paul Romeo, Bartender, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Santa Monica, California

John Paul began work as an artisan bartender in 2010, training under Michel Dozois, head of the Glace Bartending Service and NEVE Ice. His career started at Elements Kitchen which, at the time, was the first pre-prohibition-style cocktail bar in Pasadena.

Together with GM Jacob Shure and Chef Ray Garcia, he helped create a new cocktail program at FIG, Fairmont Miramar's dining room and bar, rooted in classic history while experimenting with new infusion techniques.

Grant Sceney, Head Bartender, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver, B.C.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Grant began bartending at the age of 18 while studying at the Box Hill Institute of Tafe, where he received his Advanced Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism. In 2009, he made his way to British Columbia to work in Whistler during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He now calls Vancouver home.

Grant oversees the cocktail program at the Pacific Rim, shaking cocktails at The Lobby Lounge, helping establish it on the international cocktail circuit.

Nigel Moore, Director, Food & Beverage, Asia Pacific, FRHI Hotels & Resorts

Nigel leads the strategic management of all aspects of food and beverage across FRHI's (parent company of Raffles Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts) Asia Pacific portfolio of hotels, driving business and establishing the hotels' restaurants as market leaders.

He is also the mastermind behind the creative concepts and development of innovative food and beverage offerings for all new hotels in the region. He brings more than 20 years of F&B operations experience and has worked in diverse parts of the world such as Italy, Switzerland, parts of Asia, the US and the United Kingdom.

Photo of Nigel Moore courtesy of FRHI

Bartender photos taken at Garden Court, Fairmont Olympic, Seattle

June 2015