Canada's Creative Cocktail Creator - Elise Sergerie
Published May 9th, 2024
Photography provided by Elise Sergerie
During a February 2024 visit to Nova Scotia to celebrate Lobster Crawl, I flew into Halifax and spent the night at the marvellous Muir Hotel. My room was on the third floor, which is also where a ultra cool speakeasy bar is tucked away at the end of the hallway; if you don’t look for it, you likely won’t find it. The name? BKS, standing for Best Kept Secret. How clever!
Through the evening of sampling and sipping on cocktails created with care, I struck up a conversation with Elise Sergerie, Head Bar Chef. Inquisitive me was enthralled with her story, which she shared with confident humility.
Her story was shared so smartly that it was one worth sharing and that’s what you’ll discover below.
Before sharing my 13 questions with her, here’s a quick primer:
She’s worked In the industry for nearly 20 years now across every position and role aside from being an owner. Her time in Montreal saw her behind the bar at Burgundy Lion, Bar Le Mal Nécessaire and the head bartender at Bar George for four years. Her talents had her sought out to be included in the Halifax openings. Add in assisting in the opening of Alchemy in the JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District and, well, keep reading.
She’s been involved in every opening in the Queen's Marque, comprised of Drift, BKS, Bar Sofia, Café Lunette, Peacock, Salt and Ash and Darya, plus two more openings on the horizon.
She’s responsible for creating opening cocktail menus and overseeing all new additions to the drink menu. Impressively, the majority of her creations are still on the menus..
Succinctly put by her, she’s a “cocktail menu creator with 100+ creations to date.”
1. You've got quite the accomplished and impressive resume; what initially drew you to the industry?
I started out in the industry as a side job while I was studying psychology, I applied a lot of what I learned at school in my work. I also realized in the meantime that I loved studying behaviour and the best place to do that is a restaurant.
2. What is it about the service industry that creates excitement for you?
I love being so busy that nothing else in the world matters but what the next order of drinks is. Just creating the utmost experience for a patron and making their day is extremely gratifying.
“My biggest pride is seeing the people I have mentored and worked with succeed and win their own accolades.”
3. Based on that, what has kept you in this industry for so long?
The constant learning curve. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a new opportunity for growth presents itself. It never ends. Although sometimes overwhelming, it’s a well of knowledge.
4. Of all the openings you've been a part of, is there one that stands out and why?
The opening, here in Halifax, that stood out the most for me was BKS. I was allowed to really dig into my techniques and showcase a beautiful menu. There are also 2 new openings set for this year that are quite interesting as well. One being a tasting menu style restaurant with a curated cocktail menu to pair with the food menu. And the other, an Asian restaurant with PHO, ramen and all the fixings. Two new projects that I'm very excited to work on the opening cocktail menus. New flavours for mixing is always fun!
5. Your position at BKS is to create and curate the cocktail menu. What makes for a well-balanced menu?
I currently oversee all beverage programs for the Queen's Marque building so I get to involve the small bartender community we have created within our walls in the district to guide and help our bartenders to develop new cocktails for upcoming menu flips. I have created all the opening menus so far but love to include the teams for their growth paths as well.
6. How often should cocktail menus be changed/updated?
Seasonal flips are the best and I try my best for that to happen but sometimes its too busy.
7. If you were to open your own bar, describe it. Style, feel, atmosphere, types of drinks, location
It would feel sophisticated but not stuffy. Casual fine cocktails. I think of an art gallery with a bar. I don't know where it would be located but it will happen one day.
8. What's a common myth about your industry?
All service workers are alcoholics. Although alcohol is very prominent, it is possible to create a work life balance if you work on it.
9. What's an underrated drink you feel should get more attention?
Ti-punch is one of my favourite cocktails, and it's not very known. It's super simple. Agricole white rum, sugar cane, fresh lime. Easy and simple for an afternoon in the sun.
10. What are you most proud of in your career?
I'm proud of the accolades i've collected over the years but my biggest pride is seeing the people I have mentored and worked with succeed and win their own accolades.
11. What's the best thing a customer has said to you?
This was not said to me directly. I had served this guest before, at the time she was in an abusive relationship, that I did not know about, and because I was so unapologetic, firm and friendly in who I am as a person, that when she came back, she told my co-worker that I gave her the strength to leave that relationship. I was pretty much in tears when my co-worker shared this with me, I couldn’t believe that just being me could bring someone so much courage to be free. It was also emotional for me to hear because I have also been in a similar relationship and I know how hard it is to get away.
12. What advice do you have for someone looking to enter your industry?
It's hard, stressful and labour intensive but the feeling of making someone’s night/day/year is unmatched.
13. If I let you borrow my private jet, what bar, anywhere in the world, would you go to and why?
I wouldn’t necessarily go to one bar but visit all the top bars in Singapore as the Asian cocktail scene is one to be reckoned I hear.
Follow her ever-evolving journey on Instagram.
