On November 2 and 3, Botanist’s Executive Chef Hector Laguna and Head Bartender Jeff Savage will welcome Mexico City’s acclaimed Hanky Panky cocktail bar, ranked No. 13 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, for a Día de los Muertos collaborative dinner and cocktail experience.
For two nights only, Chef Laguna will pair a six-course tasting menu, infused in traditional Mexican flavours with three feature Hanky Panky cocktails, created by Hanky Panky bartender and General Manager, Gina Barbachano, and bartender, David Negrete, with three concocted by Botanist’s own Jeff Savage. Dishes will highlight a confluence of Mexican classics paired with Laguna’s contemporary techniques, such as blends of chorizo and caviar, lamb barbacoa, and grilled octopus with leche de tigre.
“Día de los Muertos is a holiday that centers on gathering with loved ones to remember family and friends that have passed by sharing food and memories,” says Chef Laguna, who grew up cooking on his family farm in rural Mexico. “Every year, I would spend days beforehand preparing with my mother and grandmother, gathering ingredients from various local markets. This collaboration with Hanky Panky is very dear to my heart, as I’m able to share these sacred traditions with our Botanist family and community, uniquely connecting my Mexican roots to the modern gastronomy that guests have come to expect from our menus.”
Following the two-night tasting menu experience at Botanist, on November 4, the distinguished cocktail connoisseurs of Hanky Panky will team up with Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Creative Beverage Director, Grant Sceney, to offer a cocktail-forward experience at The Lobby Lounge & RawBar. The theme of the evening will continue in the spirit of Día de los Muertos, for a one-of-a-kind celebration featuring live music and entertainment.
“Our global tours have allowed us to connect with other like-minded culinary and cocktail artists like the experienced team at Fairmont Pacific Rim,” says Gina Barbachano. “It is a pleasure to bring the flavours and style of Hanky Panky to Vancouver – and to celebrate with the backdrop of Día de los Muertos only enhances the experience.”
Hanky Panky is a highly regarded leader in the industry. Having secured the No. 13 spot in the World’s 50 Best Bars list in 2022, No. 16 in North America’s 2022 50 Best Bars, as well as number 48 in Top 500 Bars, the Mexican speakeasy bar is dedicated to leading and setting the standard of quality craft and service in Mexico City’s burgeoning cocktail scene. As a one-of-a-kind establishment, each bartender at Hanky Panky is also part owner, investing their time into creating a community amongst themselves, in Mexico City and with cocktail enthusiasts around the world.
“Mexico as a country is the embodiment of the celebration of life,” says Jason Cisneros, Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Food & Beverage Director. “My vision for this one-of-a-kind Día de los Muertos celebration is to incorporate these beautiful traditions into every aspect of the food, music, drinks and creative, to pay homage in the most authentic way, all while infusing what the Pacific Rim is synonymous for.” The tasting menu will be available for dinner service on November 2 and 3 for $225.00 CAD per person. Reservations are now open to the public and can booked online.
