Name: Jason Frederick
Venue: Common Eatery
City: Ottawa, Ontario
1. Where are you from?
Da 613 baby Ottawa background Trinidad & Tobago!
2. How long have you been a bartender and how did you get into bartending?
Bartending 23 years, Cocktails 10 years, Mixology 6 years
3. Where/when was your first gig?
Bartending my dad’s soccer teams year end party. It was a rented hall in the Best Western Hotel.
How many bartending jobs have you had?
About 12
4. How did you get involved with your venue?
I was contacted by 2 owners when I was in British Columbia to run my own bar and I gladly accepted, and here we are now!
5. What kind of cocktails do you serve at your bar/ restaurant?
We serve Hand Crafted Creative Craft Cocktails if you want me to be honest.
What cocktails are your favorites?
Bitter and booze forward but I enjoy a good cider from time to time.
6. What turns you on about bartending, what are the new trends that are exciting you?
To watch someone take that first sip, watch their eyes roll back and yell out « This is amazing!! ». What’s more of a turn on than that! It seems old but I love me some smoke. Smoke in or around cocktails makes me jump like a kid.
7. What’s your cocktail-making style?
Outside the box for sure. I wanna make cocktails and use ingredients people don’t wanna use. What are some of your favorite cocktails to make? Toro Toro aka Boulevardier. Better known @commoneatery as a Bully!
8. What spirit is sexiest to you?
MEZCAL Why? It’s clear & looks innocent. You probably think it’s Tequila but it’s a smokey lingering spirit that makes me wanna say I DO. Ya, that’s Mezcal.
9. What do you drink as a shot?
I don’t mind Mezcal
10. What are some of your favorite ingredients to work with?
Anything fresh really, I love vegetables and herbs.
11. Which bartenders have been inspirations for you?
Mr. Dushan Zaria, Andrew Schneider, Gerry Jobe are my Top 3
12. If you could work in any bar in the world for one night where would it be?
EMPLOYEES ONLY
13. Where do you head on your night off?
Lol! Back to work to observe the bar as a guest. That’s how I get a lot of inspiration & ideas.
14. What’s your favorite cocktail to order at a bar?
Dealer Choice. I love to see creativity on the spot.
15. Do you have a funny bar story to tell us?
The only reason I took a bartending course in college was so I could play soccer! Wow! I would never have thought it would have turned out like this.
16. What is the most ridiculous cocktail request you had?
I was asked to make a cocktail with blue cheese
17. What got you into MADE WITH LOVE and how do you feel about the National Finals?
My Brother Warren. I’m excited & honored to be apart something so big, it would be amazing to win a competition like this. Can’t wait to get started. Thank You!
