In Photos: The Made With Love 2015 Toronto Qualifiers

It’s another year of Made with Love, boasting to the the biggest mixology competition in North America. And we were there for the action once again at the Toronto qualifiers at College Street Bar on January 12th. New competitors competed against veteran bartenders. Check out who made the cut.

This year the Made with Love qualifier competition was a bit different. Judges handed each contender a mystery cocktail, they sampled it and they had to “duplicate it” in just 5 minutes. Points are docked for late entries. Sounds hard but that’s what it takes to come out on top in the thriving local bartending community.

Describing the cocktail to the judging panel

Without further ado here’s the top 20 (with a tie for 1st place) that will be competing at the Made With Love Toronto regionals.

1 – Michael Arthur Fortier, Drake One Fifty
1- Michele Maffei, Balsamico
2 – Brett Intrater, Earls Kitchen and Bar
3 – Aaron Male, Campagnolo
4 – Jake Valianes, Linwood Essentials
5- Mana Moghada, Blowfish Restaurant & Sake Bar
6 – Joe Howell, The Spoke Club
7 – Andrew Hunter, The County General
8 – Ger Cullen, Her Majesty’s Pleasure
9 – Holly Dewan, Whippoorwill Restaurant & Tavern
10 – Dan Tavares, Mr Flamingo
11 – Japhet Bower, Parlor foods & Co
12 – Mike Crespo, Soho House
13 – Nick Incretolli, Sarcoa Restaurant & Bar
14 – Will Howden, The Tavern on George
15 – Ryan Desjardins, College Street Bar
16 – Alex James, Hopgood’s Foodliner
17 – Rory West, Pastizza
18- Parham Rahimi, The Cluny
19 – Andres Marques, Fonda Lola
20 – Rob Renda, BartenderOne