Evelyn Chick

Evelyn Chick might seem familiar from her regular appearances on daytime TV as a cocktail expert, from her dynamic social media and, most of all, for being a bartender-turned-entrepreneur who always seems on the verge of launching her next great hustle through her consultancy, Evelyn Chick Projects (ECP).

To her colleagues, though, she may be even better known for her community-building and mentorship, which are at the heart of everything she does. That might mean leading her team at Toronto’s all-day bar/café Simpl Things or hosting cocktail workshops at Ahma, her event space a few blocks away.

For International Women’s Day, Chick held an AccelerateHER event to address issues of inequality. “I really just wanted to bring people together who want to make change together.”

Her various start-ups — from her ECP Hospitality Services to her Love of Cocktails arm for drink kits and classes — are largely staffed with women. She empowers the team with management knowledge, so that if they ever strike out on their own, they have a model of entrepreneurship to emulate.

“When I was growing up as a bartender, I never had a female role model that I could look at,” says Chick. “So it’s really important to me to try to change that. I think that’s how you begin making changes for women.”

Favourite Drinking City: Montreal. “It’s so diverse. I love that you can go to Vin Papillon and have the most stunning wine and then head across the street to the Burgundy Lion, a pub with a thousand whiskies.”

Favourite Spirit: “Gin.”

Favourite Cocktail: “A 50-50 Gin Martini checks all the boxes.”

Fun Fact: “I have this crazy ability to go into the fridge and make a gourmet meal out of nothing. I’m like this fridge-scrap magician. I don’t want to waste the little bits and bobs.”

–Christine Sismondo