In 2022, Vancouver Magazine set out to find an individual who encompasses creativity, innovation, mentorship, and continually pushes the boundaries on what it means to be a bartender.

Originally from Alberta, Jeff Savage joined Fairmont Pacific Rim in 2018 where he took over the Head Bartender position at Botanist. A restaurant and cocktail bar known for its fresh and elevated experiences, Jeff is only getting started on creating unique and thoughtful cocktails not just behind the Botanist Bar, but in ways to influence Vancouver’s cocktail community.

Jeff’s specialty is playing with flavour combinations, styles, textures, scents, and colours—meticulously curating every ingredient, until the cocktail is perfect, not only in presentation, but in the experience it creates for individuals as well.

Savage has been credited as a fierce competitor, most recently recognized as Diageo ‘World Class Canada Bartender of the Year (2019)’ and placed an impressive second place at the Diageo World Class Global Finals, ‘Best Cocktail Menu’ for his work at Proof (2016/2017), named as a national finalist in the Bacardi Legacy, and Bombay Sapphire Most Imaginative bartender (2017).