The Grand Encounter: PARIS + WORLD

Episode 1: Hugo Togni

The journey begins. Grand Marnier’s new mini-series The Grand Encounter premieres with its first episode, and it’s already one you cannot miss. Host Carina Velasquez is joined by Hugo Togni, bar manager and co-owner of Bar Pompette in Toronto, Canada, which he opened in 2021 and quickly established as one of the most sought-after drinking destinations in the country.

In this episode paris+world, Togni showcases his French origins, which he shares with Grand Marnier, to analyze the impact they had on him and on the rest of the cocktail world. Being unapologetically Parisian, Grand Marnier holds pride in the identity it discloses in every bottle, but how does this intertwine with the bartending industry?

https://youtu.be/hA9dhof80WE

Watch as Velasquez and Togni describe the importance of Parisian culture, its quirks and (very few) downsides, from flavorsome cuisine to unique joie de vivre. Togni shares his ideas, roots and philosophy that allowed him to perfectly fit in a different country, bringing the deep value of Parisian hospitality with him. Don’t miss his Margarita Suzette, a take on a classic Margarita that combines the original recipe with a Parisian gastronomic staple: the Crepe Suzette.

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About The Grand Encounter

The Grand Encounter: Behind the Bar is the new mini-series created by Grand Marnier delving into the occasions, very often surprising an unexpected, that can happen in the bar industry.

A series of three episodes, each depicting the encounter of two apparently different worlds that merge into one, just like the iconic combination of cognac and bitter orange does in Grand Marnier. 

In each episode, world-renowned bartender and bar entrepreneur Carina Soto Velasquez will host an industry leading contributor, sharing their ideas and opinions about hospitality and their conception of bartending: The Grand Encounter: Behind the Bar will describe the creativity that sparkles from the collision of different worlds, ranging from historical notes to technical details, all while including personal stories and useful suggestions for other bartenders. 

Coming from Canada and USA, the three guests will each feature their local heritage and their specific talents and interpretation of hospitality, bringing The Grand Encounter: Behind the Bar to life and tackling the most important and relevant themes for the bartending community.

Hugo Togni (bar manager and co-owner of Bar Pompette, Toronto), Takuma Watanabe (founder and owner of Martiny’s and L’Americana, New York) and Deniseea Head (founder of Chicken&Champagne and Good Trouble, New Orleans) will take you on a grand journey, thanks to their Grand Encounters.

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Watch episode 2 with New York City’s Takuma Watanabe.

Watch episode 3 with New Orleans’ Deniseea Head.