Lauren Mote, Bittered Sling, Vancouver

Lauren Mote, Bittered Sling, Vancouver

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.

Mark Best, Chef and Owner, Marque Restaurant, Sydney

Mark Best, Chef and Owner, Marque Restaurant, Sydney

It may be hard to imagine, but one of Australia’s most acclaimed chefs used to work as an electrician in the mines of Western Australia. These days, however, Mark Best brings electricity to the kitchen of his award-winning, French-influenced restaurant, Marque. Located in the hip, inner Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, the sleek dining room of Marque is a far cry from the searing temperatures and dusty, ochre landscapes of outback Kalgoorlie.