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Grand Marnier debuts The Grand Encounter

Campari-owned Grand Marnier has created a video series showcasing the Cognac and orange-blended liqueur through some of the world’s leading bartenders.

Grand Marnier
The co-owner of Toronto’s Bar Pompette, Hugo Togni, stars in episode one

Titled The Grand Encounter: Behind the Bar, the series consists of three episodes where bartenders explore ‘the coming together of unlikely elements, and how these unexpected fusions can create something exceptional – just like Grand Marnier’.

The first episode – called Paris + The World – features Hugo Togni, the co-owner of Bar Pompette in Toronto, who talks about how he transitioned from the kitchen to the bar. This journey is represented by his cocktail creation, a Margarita Suzette cocktail, which is inspired by the classic French dessert crêpes Suzette. The serve features Grand Marnier, Tequila infused with butter and Canadian maple syrup, which he says brings France and Canada together.

Togni said: “My French heritage is fundamental to my day-to-day, no matter where I am in the world. I believe the French and Parisian influence can be seen across the world, and when French and other cultural moments come together, they can only be enhanced to create something extraordinary.”

Other episodes in the series include Classic + Modern, airing in October, and Elevated + Local, which will launch in November.

Classic + Modern will feature Takuma Watanabe, the owner of Martiny’s in New York, while Elevated + Local will see an appearance from Deniseea Head, a cocktail consultant and the co-owner of speakeasy pop-up Good Trouble in New Orleans.

Each episode is hosted by Carina Soto Velásquez, a Colombian-born entrepreneur who the brand says ‘stirred up the Parisian cocktail scene with her innovative approach to mixology and bar culture’. She is the co-founder of Candelaria, a Mexican bar and restaurant in Paris.

Velásquez said: “Working with Grand Marnier on this video series has been very insightful, showing how you can nourish our bar industry by being authentic to yourself and breaking existing standards to bring meaningful experiences to the community.

“As a bar entrepreneur myself, being able to interview these incredible minds on their journeys is quite special. I can relate to their experiences, and it is always very inspiring to see how bartenders keep pushing this industry forward, one cocktail at a time.”

Upon release, the episodes can be viewed on Grand Marnier’s Instagram, the Campari Academy website and Campari Academy’s YouTube channel.

Recently, Grand Marnier teamed up with Grammy award-winning rapper 2 Chainz to launch a campaign.

The first episode of The Grand Encounter: Behind the Bar with Hugo Togni can be viewed below:

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