Sabrine Dhaliwal at Juke & The Chickadee Room, Vancouver

Sabrine Dhaliwal has long worked in the drinks industry in Vancouver, from her national brand ambassador roles for Hennessy Cognac and Belvedere Vodka, to running bars at Pourhouse and Uva Wine and Cocktail Bar. She’s now bar manager at The Chickadee Room and Juke Fried Chicken, a Chinatown favourite for fried chicken, chicken and waffles and, yes, cocktails, including gin favourites like her Raspberry Gimlet, the venue’s gin kits, and the intriguing Grayscale cocktail, which comprises gin, black sesame, black lime and egg white.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IN THE PANDEMIC?

Dine-in is still available and – along with the loosing of liquor control – has allowed bars and restaurants to be creative with new revenue streams. We’re encouraging guests to bring the bar experience to their homes through our non-alcoholic cocktail mixes

(to which customers can add spirit at home) and cocktail kits… with syrups and juices, along with a link to our YouTube instructional videos.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION LOOKING AHEAD?

My fingers are crossed that by the end of 2021, bars and restaurants will be able to operate at full capacity again. I am also optimistic that our government will continue to work with the hospitality industry to make impactful changes to liquor control and legislation that will help us with our road to recovery.