Who | Raj Rijhwani
Where | Toronto, Canada
Current Bar | Assistant GM/Bar Manager at Reign Restaurant (Fairmont Royal York Hotel)
Past Bar(s) | General Manager F&B at Altea Active, Biff’s Bistro, The Rabbit Hole, Maison Selby (O&B), Leña Restaurante, Ki Modern Japanese Restaurant + Bar, Madrina
Favourite Spirit | Single malt whisky
Favourite Juice | Grapefruit
Favourite Classic Cocktail | Penicillin
Favourite Part of the Job | The interactions, the stories, my team
Favourite After Work Drink | Depends on the night, a beer or a tequila-soda
Favourite at Home Drink | Old Fashioned or Margarita
Favourite bar in the world | Billy Sunday (Chicago)
Best known for | Sarcastic comments, dad jokes, creating simple drinks that make the ingredients shine
Favourite “at work” memory | Working in the underground speakeasy at my restaurant and getting busy with every alternate person ordering a whisky sour. The guests would see one, and then want one. Everyone seemed to be bonding in the whole bar over this one drink. 20 mins and 74 whisky sours later, 5 hours had passed. I will never forget closing the bar that night and all the stories from that night.
What do you collect? Interesting liqueurs
Favourite thing about your city? The fact that it is a combination of a strong community and a world class city.
What was the last photo that you took? My dog and my cat.. napping together. It’s an obsession! They are just perfect!
Where was last place you traveled? Montreal, between the first and the second lockdown. Feels surreal now, to think about it.
Any claims to fame? Being asked to come up with a signature cocktail for Canoe’s VIP dinner, getting my cocktail listed in Foodism magazine.
Lager or IPA? Lager
Sparkling or Flat? Flat
Miami or Mexico City? Miami
Olive or Twist? Twist
Are you available for freelance gigs? Yes please!
Find him: Instagram