Heidi Finley

Bar: Ritz Carlton Sarasota

Location: Sarasota, FL

The 2024 Winner of the Marriott International Masters of the Craft Competition is Heidi Finley! Heidi is originally from Key West Florida and has been bartending and creating cocktails for over 20 years. She works at the Ritz Carlton Sarasota as the lead bartender, and has happily been part of the Marriott family for over 20 years. She is making menus where guests feel like they have been transported to a different place with interesting ingredients and sometimes making my own vessels and contraptions to deliver her cocktails. The other part of her heart belongs to animal rescue and also enjoy the outdoors. Her aspirations are to one day open My Happy Place Cocktails with her business partner and daughters while she continues with Marriott. At Marriott she wants to continue creating the most amazing cocktail menus and training the new teams as they continue to expand and reimagine new hotels and outlets within the company.

Awards: 2024 Winner, Master of the Craft, Marriot International

Winning recipe: The Journey

1.5 ounces Patron Anejo, .5 ounce Carpano Dry vermouth
.5 ounce Montenegro
1 ounce Coconut syrup (liquid alchemist)
.25 ounce Reàl agave
5 good drops of toasted sesame oil
shaken with a few leaves of cilantro
Served up

Heidi painted the side of glass with agave lining it with little micro flowers, skewered a cut out red pepper heart to lay on the judges palate before the first sip, which also represents her love for the craft, with a finally “Heidi cocktail” a 3D gold printed MC that clung to the side of the glass for Master of the Craft.