Phil’s story in hospitality didn’t start behind a bar. It started in the kitchen. Raised alongside his father, a pastry chef and chocolatier, working BOH in their family business, he built an early foundation in craft and discipline that would shape everything that followed. In 2015, inspired by a chef bartender on TV named Patrice Plante, he took the leap and found his calling: creating experiences that genuinely mean something to the guest holding the glass.
A pivotal chapter came in 2019, when he joined Le Royal as Bar Chef, sharpening his approach to craft and hospitality alongside the great Manu Ruiz, who left a mark well beyond the bar. That same year, he entered his first competitions, reaching regional stages in global programs like Patrón Perfectionists and Bacardi Legacy. A year later, his bar landed at number 17 on Canada’s 50 Best Bars, a moment of profound pride.
Today, Phil leads Operations & Commercialization at drink NOA, where he works to redefine what a cocktail can be, bringing the same depth, ritual, and hospitality to every glass, regardless of the ABV. It’s a full-circle moment: NOA’s founder is in fact the TV guy who first inspired him to get behind a bar. Now, he’s helping push that vision forward.
Find him: Instagram