Congratulations to Shayne Herbert of Azura, the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Toronto Exceptional Cocktails Award Winner!
Shayne Herbert pushes boundaries at an ever-evolving restaurant that relies on the seasonality of local ingredients. Cocktails like the Olive Branch reflect his talent for creative, delicious combinations. With a cheerful grin, Herbert also prepares off-menu cocktails that are inspired by the restaurant’s tasting menu. One of his deepest passions is sustainability, so he makes sure drinks not only taste great, but are also environmentally friendly.
Learn more about Herbert's journey in the industry and his favorite drinks below. Cheers!
How were you introduced to the world of cocktails?
I've always been in the restaurant industry. Growing up, my family was always big on cooking. I was there helping my mom do various things in the kitchen…cooking, baking, that kind of thing. And then from there, as I moved into the industry, I strayed to the bar a little bit more. I've been lucky enough to work places that allowed me to do what I want, use my creativity. Having that foundation in cooking and discovering flavors just transitioned me into incorporating that into the way that I make my drinks as well.
What’s the biggest misconception about mixology or cocktails in general?
That you can't have something weird and also delicious. We like to put dill in cocktails. We have an olive oil cocktail as well. Really allow yourself to enjoy new things, because you never know what you're going to fall in love with.
How have your cocktail tastes changed over the years?
As I started as a bartender, it was definitely more basic. I was still learning and getting an idea for different flavors. As I've matured, I've really leaned into the creative aspect of it, trying to get myself out of my comfort zone. It really allows you to just try more and be able to enjoy more.
What are you drinking these days?
I'm a big gin guy. I always try to be creative with the gins that I'm drinking. Here at Azura, we have a gin and cocktail program, and we make in-house infusions for different flavored gins. I like to be creative, push the boundaries. Right now, I'm working on something that's like a shawarma sauce-esque kind of gin, using garlic scape and sesame to try to make a tahini-flavored gin. Haven't tasted it yet, so we'll see how it turns out.
Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
We do this strawberry yuzu soda. Not only is it great as a spirit-free beverage, but it also incorporates sustainability practices. The strawberries that we use come from the kitchen. If the kitchen is done using them, we smoke them, and then we turn that into the syrup that we then use.
What’s your ideal meal and pairing?
I have a big sweet tooth, so I'm always gonna say dessert. We have this really cool chocolate mortadella dessert. It's got a pain perdu (a French toast), and then it's got this chocolate mortadella on top. So it's got this little sweet and salty thing going on. And we do a pairing with that. Fig and a sparkling apple, and then we top it with cheese foam. It all kind of just meshes very well together with the dessert and the drink.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a position like yours?
Do everything 100% if you're going to do it. Go all in for sure. If you really enjoy it and you really love it, don't shy away from it, lean into that, because that's when the magic happens. And you're really going to find what you enjoy and what you enjoy to create and then your guests will love it too because they can see how much hard work and how much energy and how much passion you have for the things that you're creating.
Hero image: Brittany Olsen / Shayne Herbert
Thumb image: Brittany Olsen / Shayne Herbert
