Meet our Ottawa
event bartenders
cheers
The Cocktail Edit is an Ottawa-based bartending and event support team. We’re here to make hosting feel easier.
Here to make hosting feel easier
We’re here to make hosting feel easier. From professional bar service to drink planning, shopping and serving support, we take care of the details you’d rather not manage yourself.
Every event is different, so our services can be tailored to what you need, from a bartender for the evening to hands-on help getting the bar ready.
Our Smart Serve-certified team brings warm, polished service and thoughtful touches to weddings, private celebrations, showers and corporate events across Ottawa and the surrounding area.
Your Event, Our Edit.
The faces behind the Edit
Kirsten Barry
Founder and head of operations
Hi, I’m Kirsten, founder and bartender behind The Cocktail Edit.
After more than 20 years working in restaurants and bars, I can spot an empty glass, a slow-moving bar and a host doing way too much from across the room.
I created The Cocktail Edit to bring everything I’ve learned behind the bar into your celebrations. I’ll handle the setup, keep the drinks flowing and clean everything afterward so you can enjoy your guests instead of working a shift at your own event.
I’ve always loved the energy of a great event: good music, good people, beautiful details and, of course, a really good cocktail.
For me, the bar is more than just where you grab a drink; it’s part of the atmosphere. I love making it feel polished, personal and just a little bit extra.
Katie
Co-owner and head of bar operations
With over 25 years behind the bar and more than a decade in Human Resources, my career has always had one thing at the centre of it: people.
My hospitality experience has taken me from five-star restaurants in Toronto to corporate and privately owned establishments, weddings, catering and corporate events. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to serve some pretty memorable guests, including Bryan Adams, Juliette Lewis, Alanis Morissette, members of the Toronto Maple Leafs and many other high-profile clientele.
Those experiences taught me that great bartending is about so much more than making a great cocktail. It’s about reading the room, connecting with people, anticipating what they need, being discreet and professional, and creating an experience that feels effortless.
My HR career has strengthened many of those same skills: relationship building, communication, organization, professionalism and understanding people.
The Cocktail Edit brings both sides of my career together: years of hospitality experience, a corporate mindset and a genuine love of bringing people together.
My goal is simple: bring the bar, bring the energy and help turn your event into an experience your guests will be talking about long after the last cocktail is poured.
What we hold ourselves to
Certified service
Our whole team is Smart Serve-certified. Responsible service is not optional, and we will cut a guest off quietly.
Insured
We carry $2 million in commercial general liability insurance, including liquor liability coverage. A certificate can be sent to your venue or your employer before the date.
Ottawa-based
We live here. We know the venues, the parking, the loading doors and which rooms have no running water.
Adding to the mix
Great cocktails are only part of the story. It’s the people behind the bar who make the magic happen.
We’re always looking for outgoing, talented and passionate people who know how to bring great energy, exceptional service and a little personality to every event.
Think you’ve got what it takes to make the cut? Join The Cocktail Edit crew. We’d love to hear from you.
Ready when you are
Work with us
Send the date and the room. We will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit for it.
Book a date