New Duo is Raising the Bar at Grain at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Grain in Sydney’s The Rocks - Australia’s Hotel Bar of the Year - has attracted two new highly-skilled bar managers to its talented team.

Roderick Boerma and Lance Essihos have joined as Bar Manager and Assistant Bar Manager respectively, together bringing more than 20 years of experience in five-star venues both in Australia and overseas.

Originally from Amsterdam in The Netherlands, Roderick has bolstered Grain bar’s passion for local craft spirits, drawing from his own interest in the stories of Australian distillers, developed in the years since he arrived in Australia. Previous to Grain, Roderick managed The Living Room and Bar at Park Hyatt Sydney, after working in some of Amsterdam’s best bars and luxury hotels, including then new boutique Andaz Hotel and Sofitel Legend Grand Amsterdam.

Supporting him, Canadian native Lance delivers his extensive skills and knowledge in the art of cocktail making, honed in his most recent role managing Gowings Bar and Gilt Lounge at QT Sydney. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for starring only the best ingredients in his creations, Lance has experience behind award-winning bars across Australia and Canada, including Estilo Bar in Port Douglas and Joe’s Apartment in Vancouver.

“It’s a pretty exciting opportunity to build on Grain’s already solid standing as a top spirits and cocktail bar in Sydney,” Bar Manager Roderick says. “Both Lance and I are very passionate about quality, craftsmanship and the classics. We want to know everything there is to know about the bottles behind the bar, understand the process, learn the stories. And then we love sharing these insights with our customers.”

“We look forward to crafting our own stories at Grain, along with our team of talented bartenders.”

Grain bar is located in Sydney’s The Rocks at 199 George Street, within Four Seasons Hotel Sydney. For group bookings, +61 2 9250 3118 or hello@grainbar.com.au.