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Q: How long have you been a bartender?

A: Ten years. I got into it by hanging out in bars. I've always been more of a people person and decided to become a bartender because of that. I learned about wines while working at (the former) Sonesta Beach (now the Wyndham Resort) and I learned how to make drinks just sitting at bars, watching. I haven't encountered too many who don't appreciate what I do. I have a good clientele, friendly people who are regular customers.

Occasionally some of the younger ones will come in and throw money at you ? just throw it at the bar, but I just kill them with kindness and after a couple of cocktails they become real friendly.

Q: Is this the first award you've won for bartending?

A: Yes. I'm still in shock, really. It means all of my hard work has paid off. It means a lot to me. It's a great award to win and (Carnivo XO liqueur) is a great product as well. It has a fruity, citrus flavour that makes it quite easy to mix with. Especially if you use mostly fresh fruit juices, it really enhances the flavour. It's new to the island and it should do well. This island is so hot, especially now during the summer months, and you can make a lot of refreshing drinks with it.

People who are health conscious are more interested in fruit juices or water. They tend to stay away from sodas, from carbonated drinks if they want to be healthier.

Q: Was it difficult to create the drinks?

A: Once I decided to enter I had two days to come up with three drinks. From my previous experience in making drinks I knew what liqueurs mix well. I made three drinks. I created the x-otic cocktail ? 1 oz. Carnivo XO, 1 oz. Bacardi Razz, 3/4 oz. Blue Cura?ao and pineapple juice ? knowing that a lot of people appreciate the taste of pineapple juice.

It's a fun drink because it's blue. It's also really refreshing. It goes down easy. With the x-otic martini ? 1 oz. Carnivo XO, 1 oz. Malibu, cranberry juice and 1/2 oz. Oasis coco ? I decided to use Malibu because it tastes like coconut.

It's representative of an island and I used pina colada (the Oasis coco) mixed with a little cranberry to give it a little flavour. Everyone liked it. The idea was to create a Canivo-tini. My winning drink was the Carnivo crush ? 1 oz. Carnivo XO, 1/2 oz. Parfait Amour, pineapple juice and a dash of bar mix. If you've ever had pineapple sherbet, it tastes exactly like that does melted.

Q: Did you feel confident on entering the competition?

A: We had three minutes to make two drinks, which I thought was quite a lot of time. I can probably make about six different drinks in three minutes. A couple of the guys who entered the competition surprised me ? I didn't know they were bartenders.

After the first round, once I was on my second drink, I felt more confident because I knew my second and third (creations) would take me far. After I finished and saw the competition . . . I thought the guys did good. I was impressed.

I just kept it simple and tried not to mix too many other alcohols or liqueurs with (the Carnivo XO). If you work in a high-volume bar like I do, there's no time to throw stuff in the air, you just make drinks as fast as you can.

Q: Are you regularly asked to make cocktails or do patrons generally favour beer and rum?

A: At Flanagan's we have different drink specials. Every day there's something different and they are pretty popular. Some are so popular that I have to make them in batches ahead of time.

Hopefully, (my Carnivo XO creations) will also be very popular. If a product takes off well and you make good drinks with it, it generally becomes very popular. Look at Cockspur, Bermuda Gold, the rum swizzle is known world-wide.

Q: Why did you decide to enter the competition?

A: When I first joined my goal was to win and bring the product to Flanagan's, to make money for my company and to give a boost to the product. The trip to Las Vegas also looked pretty good. I'd always wanted to enter a competition. I wanted the exposure and my patrons told me I should enter. So I created six drinks and chose three to enter. I threw my hands in the air. I don't remember hearing anyone clap or anything. My mom gave me a hug and cried ? I think she was more excited than I was. Well, I also sing. I'm a singing bartender. I have patrons who like to hear songs and make requests. I give them some Al Green, Neil Diamond and usually on Wednesday nights I get on stage and sing a few songs for patrons.

I just have fun when I work. It's very rare that you'll see me with a frown on my face. And I definitely don't drink when I work. I can't function under the influence. I do my job as efficiently as possible. It also helps that I know a bit of magic. I can do a lemon trick, a water trick. It all adds to the enjoyment of my customers.

Flanagan's is like a family. It's a nice place to work. Everyone takes care of everyone and has fun.

Q: Did the staff come out to see you in the competition?

A: Two of the managers came, Dion Mills and Dal Talbot. They came out and supported me along with my friends and family. Also, the band at Flanagan's came out ? an awesome band from Canada called Eight Feet.Three years. Yes.

If I see a patron who I feel has had too much, I stop serving and let the manager know why. We make sure they get safely down the elevator and outside.

I've had some patrons who so appreciate and respect that decision that the next day they've come and thanked me for it. But I can't always keep an eye on everyone. Me personally, I would cut them off. I would rather they go to some other bar as long as they're not drinking at Flanagan's.

Q: How many cocktails do you know how to make?

A: I can do just about everything. From an Old Manhattan to a Yellowbird. I also make up drinks and give them names. Recently I created a Starburst. I do lots of exotic cocktails. A good bartender is a people person. Somebody who's friendly, who's able to remember a quantity of drinks at a time, who can make drinks fast and who, most of all, is clean. If you use a shaker, make sure you rinse it off and put it back in place, you take out a bottle, put it back where it belongs after you've used it.

You should have fun when you work. A good bartender should know how to read people ? some just want to get out of the house because they've had a bad day at work. Some want to talk. Bartenders are like therapists.

They give advice, they pretty much know everything that's happening on the island. If a person comes in and has six shots and three beer within a matter of minutes, it's a good time to ask: You wanna talk about it?

Q: Where else have you worked?

A: I was at Sonesta and Casey's and I was a prison officer for five years. Yes. When I get back I might even be better than I am now. I'm a very fast learner although it might take some practice. I don't have one. I'm an occasional drinker. Maybe I'll have an Amstel Light or something. I don't like to get too wasted. I like to maintain control.

I would encourage young people to study if they want to become a (professional) bartender. Go to school. Learn about different wines and spirits.

It definitely helps to know wines, especially if you work as a waiter instead of a bartender. You should know how to open a wine bottle, to serve wine and to present it. I've done it all. I used to be a silver service waiter when I worked at Sonesta.