People’s choice: Toasting to region’s best bartender as voted by readers

The Chronicle and Matt Preston recently asked readers to vote for their favourite bartender and now the people have spoken.

BEST BARTENDER: Owners of Sante Cocktail Bar Alexandra Percy and Loic Mouchelin. Loic was recently voted Toowoomba’s best bartender in an online poll by The Chronicle and Matt Preston. Picture: Nev Madsen.

SOME like it shaken, others like it stirred but it seems Toowoomba likes cocktails with a French twist.

Bartender and co-owner of Sante Cocktail Bar Loic Mouchelin was recently voted in as the region’s best bartender in The Chronicle’s online poll.

When Matt Preston asked readers to nominate their favourite mixologist on Facebook, the post generated a large response.

But ultimately the Sante cocktail maker came out on top.

BEST BARTENDER: Owners of Sante Cocktail Bar Loic Mouchelin and Alexandra Percy. Loic was recently voted Toowoomba’s best bartender in an online poll by The Chronicle and Matt Preston. Picture: Nev Madsen.

“I’m just passionate about the hospitality industry as a whole … as long as people enjoy their time in Sante, I’m happy,” Mr Mouchelin said.

“Winning any competition is a good feeling – it means people appreciate the work we put into what we do, but our daily role of welcoming people in our bar will always be more important than competitions.”

When the local bartender was 14-years-old, he started studying to be a chef at a hospitality school in France.

He later went on to learn about different areas of hospitality from front of house, housekeeping and reception to events, accounting and bartending.

His cheffing and bartending career has seen Mr Mouchelin work across the globe.

Arriving in Australia with his partner Alex Percy in 2018, the couple opened Sante Cocktail Bar the following year.

“People seem to enjoy our space and we couldn’t ask for more,” Mr Mouchelin said.

Originally published as People’s choice: Toasting to region’s best bartender as voted by readers