Ottawa Bartenders: The People Behind the Cocktail Scene
Ottawa’s cocktail culture has developed not only through the opening of new bars, but through the work of the bartenders who design the drinks, train new staff, and carry techniques from one venue to another. While individual establishments often receive the most public attention, the evolution of the city’s cocktail scene is best understood through the careers of the people behind the bar.
Over the past two decades, Ottawa has developed a loosely connected network of bartenders whose work spans restaurants, cocktail bars, hotel lounges, and independent venues. Many of these professionals have worked in multiple establishments across the city, helping shape the standards of cocktail preparation and service that define the modern scene.
This page highlights some of the bartenders who have contributed to Ottawa’s contemporary cocktail culture.
Bartenders Leading Ottawa’s Modern Cocktail Programs
Several bartenders currently lead influential cocktail programs in the city’s most prominent venues.
At Bar Ocelli, managing owner Witek, head bartender Isaac, and Tia oversee a program focused on precise execution and contemporary cocktail technique. Isaac also bartends weekly at Jackalope and Tia at Q Bar.
The cocktail program at Jackalope has been shaped by bartenders such as Georges Haddad & Kiara Dana. Bar manager Dylan Renaud previously served as bar manager at Mati before joining the Jackalope and Rabbit Hole team.
At Riviera, longtime bartender Stephen Flood has remained part of one of the city’s most influential and consistent restaurant bar programs.
Meanwhile, Taylor Quinn currently leads the cocktail program at North & Navy. Her earlier roles included head bartender at The Moonroom and beverage director at Parlour on Wellington Street West.
At Gitanes, Cory Contini serves as head bartender, following earlier positions at Zoe’s and Albion Rooms.
These bartenders represent the current generation shaping cocktail menus and service standards at many of Ottawa’s most visible hospitality venues.
Bartenders Who Opened or Built New Bars
Another important influence on Ottawa’s cocktail scene has been bartenders who transitioned into ownership or leadership roles within new establishments.
Cody Nicoll, previously bar manager at Savanna Lounge and later a bartender at Mati, is now co-owner of Ember, one of the city’s newest cocktail venues.
Similarly, Emma Campbell operates as co-owner and bartender at Corner Peach on Somerset Street West.
Across the river in Gatineau, Stéphanie Gervais serves as owner, chef, and bartender at Astoria Bistro, illustrating the crossover between culinary leadership and cocktail development.
These projects demonstrate how Ottawa’s bartending community gradually produces new venues as experienced professionals move into ownership roles.
Restaurant Cocktail Programs as Training Grounds
While Ottawa now has several dedicated cocktail bars, restaurant bar programs have historically functioned as the primary training environment for bartenders.
Establishments such as Riviera, Mati, and The Moonroom have employed many bartenders who later moved into leadership positions elsewhere in the city.
Bartenders Across the Broader Hospitality Scene
Ottawa’s cocktail culture also extends beyond dedicated cocktail bars. Bartenders working in hotel lounges, neighbourhood restaurants, and nightlife venues contribute to the diversity of the city’s drinks landscape.
Among the bartenders active in Ottawa venues over the past several years are:
- Matt Kyazze – bartender at Drip House and Bodega
- Dorothy Nguyen – bartender at Evoo Greek Kitchen
- Eric Auclair – bartender at Alora
Other bartenders have worked across venues such as Jabberwocky, Charlotte, Grey Jay, and Atelier. Together, these professionals form the broader workforce that sustains the city’s hospitality industry.
A Network Rather Than Isolated Bars
One of the defining characteristics of Ottawa’s cocktail culture is the movement of bartenders between establishments. A bartender might begin working in a restaurant bar, move to a cocktail-focused venue, and later return to a restaurant as a bar manager or beverage director.
Through this migration, recipes, techniques, and service philosophies spread across the city’s bars.
As a result, Ottawa’s cocktail scene functions less as a collection of isolated venues than as a network of professionals whose careers connect many of the city’s most notable bars.
Understanding that network helps explain how the city’s cocktail culture continues to evolve, as each new generation of bartenders builds upon the experience of those who came before.