Bartender Spotlight with Shellaine Ewart

If neat, on the rocks, muddle, splash, shaken or stirred mean anything to you, then you know what time it is: it’s happy hour and the moment has arrived to have a drink. We are currently on the last leg of Bartender Week, and to celebrate the special occasion, Food is raising a glass to a mixologist creating spirited melodies and memories on the local bar scene.

Grateful for the opportunity, Shellaine Ewart entered the mixology field and decided to seek certification in order to better her skills and gain qualifications for upward mobility.

“I wasn’t working at the time. When I got the job, I started liking it,” Ewart told Food. That was eight years ago.

After hearing that in order to get a raise of pay, you have to be certified, Ewart enrolled in J. Wray & Nephew Academy. And has since switched to jobs with a bigger payout. She has achieved level one and level two certification in JWN Academy; she’s currently pursuing the supervisor course there as well. And has completed a course with the Academy of Bartending, Spirits and Wines.

Because her favourite aspect of the job is pleasing the customer, this mixologist can be often found going into freestyle mode, preparing fresh cocktails that have people coming back for more.

“If a customer comes to the bar, I try to sell them a bartender special, as opposed to all the options they can see on the menu,” she added.

For your sipping pleasure, our bartender in the spotlight would like to put your mixing skill to the test. Here is a recipe from Ewart to try at home.

Shellaine’s Red Rum Crush

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ ounce Worthy Park Ted Rum

½ ounce lime juice

½ ounce simple syrup or clear syrup

Ice

Ginger beer

Angostura aromatic bitters

DIRECTIONS

In a rock glass, add Worthy Park, lime juice and simple syrup. Fill the glass with ice. Then top up ginger beer and two splashes of Angostura aromatic bitters. Stir with a bar spoon, garnish with a maraschino cherry and drink responsibly.