Southern Champion

Competition winner portrait

Q and A with the winner

• Current bar:

  Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bristol

• Favourite industry book:

  Batched & Bottled by Max & Noel Venning

• Personal industry icon:

  Tom Sutton

• Where would you guest shift?

  Any tin-only bar, somewhere tropical!

• Where do you find inspiration?

  At home, baking. Outside, nature.

• Life goal?

  To have a full head of hair at 65.

• Single or double strain?

  Single, because texture is important

• Alternate career if not a bartender?

  Barback.

• Favourite non-industry icon?

  Louis Theroux

• Favourite non-Industry Book?

  Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes.

The winning serve

The 1698 Martini

• 50 ml No.3 London Dry Gin
• 20 ml Blend of 1698 (1 part lemon orange cordial with cardamom angelica root and juniper with 4 parts coffee flower tea.

Glass: Nick & Nora with gold ribbon around stem; Garnish: Orange zest; Method: Stirred down.

Similar serve

Martini

• 60ml/2oz No.3 London Dry Gin
• 10ml /0.3oz Dry Vermouth
• 1 lemon

Stir over ice in a mixing glass and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.