Originally from the Gaspé, Gilbert Lemieux was born in the restaurant business. For the most part, he worked in a bar in his region. And after his CEGEP in Matane, the young man moved to Montreal and studied Italian cuisine. “But I missed the customers in the kitchens,” recalls the one who was made for mixology.
In 2010, he was hired in service at Toqué! and ended up finding his place behind the bar. “Back then, people would order classics or wine. I was traveling to New York and I saw what was being done there. So I created a first cocktail menu for the Toqué! In my third year there, it really started to get hot. And in the end, one in three people ordered a cocktail. ”
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Gilbert lemieux
Gilbert spent nine years at Toqué! He left the institution during the pandemic, which was closed for about twenty months. The H3 restaurant, in the Humaniti complex, offered him the post of bar chef.
Here, as with his former employer, the emphasis is on Nordic ingredients. “But I also have a Banana Sidecar on my card! “Of course, we do as much local as possible, in the Cogir Restaurants group (which also includes Le Coureur des Bois, in Beloeil), but this is not an absolute constraint.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The 3-grain whiskey from Distillerie du St. Laurent is aged in barrels for three years.
The H3 bar is well stocked with Quebec alcohol. Gilbert appreciates those from the Distillerie du St. Laurent, in Rimouski, on the way to his native hometown. Whiskey is the preferred spirit for anyone dreaming of a trip to Scotland soon. Nor does it lift the nose on an American bourbon or an elegant aged Japanese grain alcohol. “It’s my poison! », He confides.
Also the bartender he chose St. Laurent 3-grain whiskey (75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley) to create his island-flavored cocktail, with sea buckthorn in the role of passion fruit. The absolutely indisputable notes of banana bread, vanilla and citrus peel in the whiskey add an additional pastry dimension to this beautiful North-South encounter.
Recipe: Tiki-Riki
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 oz of sea buckthorn, rosemary and chamomile syrup (see recipe below)
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
- 1 1/2 oz of Distillerie du St. Laurent 3 Grains 3 Years Whiskey
- 1 egg white
- Dune pepper
Preperation
- 1. Place all the ingredients, except the dune pepper, in a shaker and shake dry once, to froth the egg white.
- 2. Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously.
- 3. Filter the mixture into a small cup. Sprinkle with a little ground dune pepper (or grated with a microplane) and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Sea buckthorn syrup, rosemary and chamomile
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The Tiki-Riki
Ingredients
- 300 g sea buckthorn
- 250 g of sugar
- 200 g of water
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 sachets of chamomile tea
Preperation
1. Bring all the ingredients to a boil and immediately lower the heat. Cook slowly to pop the fruit (about 3 to 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and let steep until the syrup is at room temperature. Filter into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator.