Grapes and Hops Presentation Stage

 

Presenters:

Kathleen Rake

www.BetweenTheVines.ca

Kathleen Rake is a perpetual student of wine, who carries the internationally recognized WSET Advanced certification. She considers herself to be extremely lucky because she’s managed to marry her decades-long love affair with wine to her craft—writing. You can read Kathleen’s wine-soaked musings at her blog, BetweenTheVines.ca.  Kathleen lives by the mantra: “I seek the perfect glass of wine, but hope I never find it.”

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Just Here For The Beer

www.JustHereForTheBeer.com

Just Here For The Beer (JHFTB) is a Vancouver based beer education and consulting company. JHFTB has been teaching beer tasting and education classes for the past 8 years at UBC, local community centres and private seminars. During this time period JHFTB has also organized numerous beer festivals at UBC and its members have been guest speakers at major industry events and at local community colleges. The company has also been featured on television and radio and in the newspaper. All of our sponsors and venders who participate in the festivals, events and classes benefit from the exposure we bring to the industry.

Rick Mohabir - Beer Expert
Just Here For The Beer

Rick loves tasting beer. He brings a wealth of experience to the students in the class. He is the Just Here For The Beer brewing expert and can tell you all you need to know about the different types of beer from around the world. Rick also brings a fun aspect to the class by teaching various drinking games from around the world. Rick has his business diploma and loves looking at the marketing aspects of the beer industry. He is the company director of operations for the special events and festivals. Rick is a Just Here For The Beer owner, beer expert, instructor, marketing expert, and party host.

"I have a thirst for knowledge. Researching and tasting beer has given me a chance to challenge my abilities and practice my research skills."

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   Exotic Cocktail Presentation by:    

           

        Lauren Mote                              Jonathan Chovancek

 

Lauren Mote

Co-proprietor, Bittered Sling Bitters

Bar Manager, UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar

Website: bitteredsling.com  uvavancouver.com

Mixologist. Sommelier. Architect of potions, tonics and elixirs. Accomplished emcee, writer and cocktail judge. International spirits diplomat. Award-winning bar personality Lauren Mote wears many hats, but she’s perhaps best known as the co-proprietor of Bittered Sling — a wildly successful line of high-quality, small-batch cocktail and culinary bitters— and bar manager of the downtown Vancouver hotspot UVA Wine & Cocktail Bar.

Named the 2015 ‘Bartender of the Year’ by both the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards and Diageo World Class Canada, Mote is a well-respected speaker, educator, mentor and industry advocate, whose reach extends well beyond the bar. She has served as Associate Director of the Canadian Professional Bartenders Association, has been an event partner and keynote speaker with Tales of the Cocktail® since 2011, and is one of only three judges for Top Shelf 20, which recognizes elite bartenders from across Canada.

Mote is also an in demand hospitality consultant and in the past year has helped revamp and redesign bar programs at The Nash Restaurant & Off Cut Bar in Calgary as well as at Vancouver’s Café Medina and Burdock & Co., most recently collaborating with YEW seafood + bar in the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

Jonathan Chovancek

Co-proprietor, Bittered Sling Bitters

Chef/Instructor, Cook Culture

Website: bitteredsling.com  

For more than 20 years, Chef Jonathan Chovancek’s abundant enthusiasm, inspired creativity and commitment to healthy eating has provided a winning recipe for some of British Columbia’s most celebrated restaurants. He has cooked in China, Mexico, Italy, United States and Canada and consults on culinary programs and menu development throughout North America. In addition to being an in-demand speaker and instructor as well as a dedicated coach and mentor to up-and-coming kitchen talent, Jonathan is the co-founder of Vancouver’s Bittered Sling Bitters, a retail line of high-quality, small-batch cocktail and culinary bitters, and was most recently the Executive Chef for the new Café Medina.