The Man Behind the Mix: Your Guide to the Ultimate Easter Cocktail

From tableside theatre to bar top bliss, we enlisted the help of QT Melbourne Bar Manager, Chris Gaweda, to share his secrets on creating the perfect cocktail to keep you busy over Easter long weekend.

So Chris, tell us a little bit about how you started behind the bar at Rooftop at QT.

It has been a while… five years in fact. Like most, I started my career in hospitality as a side job whilst I was studying. However as time went on, I’d often find myself between shifts dreaming up different cocktail mixes and jotting down winning flavour combinations to experiment with.

From the creative aspect of mixing different ingredients together to injecting my own personality with some cheeky bar side banter, life behind the bar really is an adult’s playground.

And we can confirm you sure do create some masterful cocktails. What mixes will you be shaking and stirring up for us over the Easter long weekend?

This year, we’ve partnered with CACAO to create an adults-only Easter treat up on the Rooftop at QT. With my two big loves being coffee and black forest cake, I took this inspiration to create the Boozy Bunny. It’s my own chocolate twist on the classic Espresso Martini, expect flavours of sweet spiked cherry, roasted nuttiness, creamy coffee and of course, CACAO chocolate.

We’ll drink to that! What else can we expect from you on the Rooftop Chris?

I’m a big believer that every pour is a chance to delight. As we come into Melbourne’s colder months, I’ll be working closely with our chefs to bring some hearty flavours into our cocktails that will warm you up from the inside out. Adhering to the season, I’ll be playing around with new tricks, flavours, and garnishes that are sure to impress. Watch this space!

The Rooftop at QT will be shaking up Boozy Bunny cocktails over the Easter long weekend from Friday the 7th of April to Monday the 11th of April.

See how you compare to the expert, and make this Easter indulgence at home. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

• 20ml Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum
• 20ml Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur
• 10ml Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur
• 5ml Joseph Cartron Dark Cacao Liqueur
• 45ml Espresso
• For garnish: CACAO chocolate, freeze-dried raspberries

Method

• In a martini shaker, pour all ingredients over ice. Shake to your liking.
• Place freeze-dried raspberries in a blender and pulse until powdered.
• With a strainer, dust the outside of a coupe glass with raspberry powder.
• Double strain cocktail mix into coupe glass.
• Finish garnishing with grated chocolate flakes. Serve.