To commemorate the launch of the new East Lancashire Level Club (ELLC) which was officially announced during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge in Blackburn, Bro Stuart Peter Mackenzie, Tyler of Maccabee Lodge 8947, had an idea to create and serve a cocktail in the presence of the Right Worshipful Grand Master Robert Ian Frankl, the ELLC Chairman, Bro Aaron Garner and all of the ELLC Area Chairmen.
From 5-star hotels to 11 years at sea onboard the QE2, Seabourn Cruise Line and Crystal Cruises, including a private party for Princess Diana on the QE2 and 23 years flying at dizzying heights across the world. Here, we take a look at the insights of Bro Mackenzie’s life.
“Way back in the day, he used to work in the hotel & catering industry in his hometown of Edinburgh, in some of the most high-end establishments in the city, particularly in cocktail bars and was also a member of the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild”, said Bro Mackenzie. Through the advice of a close bartender friend, he then entered a national cocktail competition run by the UKBG and won it. This was the start of his journey in mixology, leading to competing at the international level and was the first bartender in the U.K. to win the coveted John Whyte Trophy. Then he won the Young Bartender of the Year trophy in the U.K. This led to him embarking on a career at sea on board high-end cruise ships, starting as a Barkeeper and being promoted to Bar Manager. One of his first events onboard QE2 was to arrange a small cocktail party for Princess Diana with the ship’s officers. It was an event for the ‘Save The Children’ charity which Princess Diana represented the Patron of the charity, The Princess Royal, we had a party for 400 children onboard the ship that day. After 11 years at sea, he decided it was time to move back on dry land and moved to Sydney, Australia for 3 years, initially working freelance at some of Sydney’s well-known landmarks before becoming Bar Manager at a 5-star luxurious boutique hotel in the city called The Observatory.
Bro MacKenzie then got itchy feet and had the idea of flying instead. He applied to British Airways as a Cabin Crew. To cut a long story short, he got the job and returned to the U.K. flying from Glasgow, Manchester, Gatwick and then, ultimately, Heathrow for 16 years, for a total of 23 years, flying all over the world on long haul flights. His cocktail era didn’t end there either, creating a small list of cocktails using the existing onboard bar ingredients for the Manchester-JFK service in the Club World cabin. When COVID came he took voluntary redundancy from the airline. and retired!
When he creates a cocktail, it always comes from a place of inspiration. On this particular occasion
INSPIRATION:
To commemorate the start-up of the new East Lancashire Level Club.
Name of the cocktail? “ON THE LEVEL” –
The colours of the cocktail and garnish reflect those of the blue ELLC logo. The lemon peel represents the colour of the Sun. Why a Martini glass? The shape of the glass reflects that of some of our “working tools”. The Square turned on its “elbow” is like the shape of the Martini Glass where the bowl of the glass meets the stem. The stem represents that of the Plumb. The Compass is reflected in the perfect circle of the rim of the glass just like you achieve drawing a perfect circle using a compass. The base of the glass reflects The Level enabling the glass to stand just perfect and regular.
RECIPE:
50mls The Apprentice Gin by Two Pillars Gin
25mls Blue Curaçao
25mls freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dash egg white
Shake vigorously!
Standing perfectly erect, stepping off with your left foot, facing the Two Pillars, no need to run or hide, the sun is guiding you to the East, in a long journey where mistakes are made to learn from, to build ourselves through experiences and make friends to live this life to the fullest with a smile on our faces. So Mote It Be!
Story by Bro Francesco Toto