Best Bartender: Kayla Atayiu

photography by Neil Zeller

Kayla Atayiu

Voted one of Canada's Top 50 Restaurants, within Shokunin you'll find authentic Japanese cuisine, a cozy interior and cocktails crafted to perfection by Calgary's Best Bartender, Kayla Atayiu. From a nori bomb and Tokyo fields sour to an ume-shu negroni and yuzu sidecar, Kayla whips of some of Calgary's most unique cocktails in mere seconds.

As the city shut down this spring, Shokunin temporarily closed their doors, forcing Kayla to shift her focus from being behind the bar to creating cocktail kits for at-home. She also helped with takeout services as the restaurant pivoted and continued to serve its community during this time. Kayla is so glad that the restaurant has such loyal guests, allowing them to remain partially open for these services and to fully reopen at the beginning of June.

During this time, you can support Kayla Atayiu and Shokunin by continuing to support your local restaurants and bars by eating out and ordering meals in. Kayla loves seeing her regular customers again, as Shokunin is back in business and more than ready to serve up all your favourites. Make sure to stop in for one of her perfectly crafted cocktails so you can see what the fuss is all about.

FIRST RUNNER UP: JOEL RICHARDS

SECOND RUNNER UP: KYLE G