Afternoon Delight

Between his non-stop travels and running the bar program at the Fairmont Royal York, James Grant does not get to entertain at home often. When he does, he does it right.

James Grant doesn’t get the opportunity to entertain at home as often as he’d like.

Between pop-ups in global cocktail hot spots like Osaka and Cape Town and his role as beverage director at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York hotel, it can be hard to find time for drinks with friends.

So, when he finally does get the chance to host at his cozy downtown apartment, Grant doesn’t spend the night wowing guests with his mad cocktail skills — the very same ones that helped him win Diageo World Class in 2021. This is his opportunity to relax.

When I’m behind the bar, I try to treat people like I would a guest in my home… Beverage Director, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto James Grant

“When I started bartending 10 years ago, I built this huge home bar and the idea was to be able to make any drink anybody wanted,” he says. “I still try to make sure there’s something for everybody, but now it’s just, like, you can’t have everything for everyone.”

Grant’s casual get-togethers are still forays into the art of drinking well. Since he’s known in the bar world for flawless cocktails, attention to detail and a hosting style that strikes a balance between gravitas and whimsy, it’s hardly surprising that, even at home, all the essentials are on point.

“When I’m behind the bar, I try to treat people like I would a guest in my home and make them feel that welcome,” he says. “Home entertaining’s not so different, except that it gives you some extra space to express your style.”

Drinks

Grant pared down his home bar when he moved from Edmonton to Toronto to steward the Royal York’s hospitality program three years ago. He stocks a lean collection of special bottles, mainly whisky and mezcal, brought back from his extensive travels. There are batched cocktails in the freezer — Martinis and Negronis — and roughly 60 bottles of wine stored in a wooden mail sorter. The fridge is full of beer — basic, non-alcohol and a few esoteric craft brews. “And Champagne,” he adds, “at least one.” And he usually has Chablis chilling. “With reds, I try to keep it a little lighter, like a Grenache or Carignan. Maybe a Beaujolais in the spring or summer, but nothing too big.”

Music

He’ll select in advance a few dozen “diplomatic” albums from his impressive vinyl collection. “Nothing too angular, nothing too loud, nothing too weird. Compilations, especially jazz or Motown, are good because they keep things varied. There’s this one compilation, Shaolin Soul, that’s all old tracks that’ve been sampled by East Coast hip hop artists. That’s fun because people know it sounds familiar and they like it but can’t place it because they’ve never heard the original.”

Snacks

Having people over is an excuse to go to St. Lawrence Market and pick up a bunch of cheese and charcuterie. “I’ll usually come back with saucisson, some weird dip and things like artichoke hearts, pickles or peppers. I also love having conservas like mussels, mackerel or sardines, but the problem is that I can’t really leave tins out on the table because of my cat, Lucifer.”

Literature

Grant studied English literature at the University of Alberta and is an avid reader. At work, he leads a book club, of sorts. The most recent book he and the bartending team took up was Michael Ondaatje’s 1987 novel, In the Skin of a Lion, about Toronto in the 1920s. It’s the inspiration for the most recent menu at the Library Bar. At home, Grant always has three or four books on the go. The current stack includes Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera, The Taiga Syndrome by Christina Rivera Garza, and It by Stephen King — the last a re-read for Grant, a fan of Gothic horror.

THE DRINKS

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— Christine Sismondo