A Hospitality Story: Makina Labrecque
My name is Makina Labrecque, and I am one of the Regional Bar and Beverage Managers under the talented Beverage Direction team at Concorde Entertainment Group. We are a group of restaurants and cocktail bars dedicated to exceptional food and drink service in fun, innovative concepts that offer guests a variety of diverse options here in Calgary, and Toronto.
I’ve been actively working in the Calgary hospitality community for almost ten years.
I’ve held many titles, from server, to bartender, bar manager, beverage director, and brand ambassador.
The constant variable in all these roles I’ve held is strong connections with staff that have developed into lifelong friendships, along with the shared passion for experiencing fine food and drink in the most exceptional of atmospheres around the world.
Over the last ten years my enthusiasm for imbibing on great cocktails and wine helped develop my palette, and along with my dedication to self-development I have been able to carve out a position of leadership in our hospitality community.
While all my hard work was being rewarded, I was starting to feel overworked, anxious, depressed and stuck in a spot of unhappiness and distaste for the industry I came to love so much.
I decided to leave the hospitality industry for a year and a half shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions ended.
I removed myself from the industry to work an uninspiring office job, in a role that wasn’t creative, that didn’t require any intense commitment to the role so that I could think about where to go next with my career path. Everyone thought I was nuts, including myself at some points during this very interesting period of my life.
Unfortunately, the change of pace helped, but ultimately wasn’t the solution to my unhappiness.
On August 24, 2022, I woke up with the worst hangover of my entire life. I was waking up hungover 3-4 times a week. I realized that I don’t have a moderation “button”. I also realized the pattern of binge drinking, drinking to cure hangovers, and “need” to try another wine, or cocktail wasn’t in the name of “palette development” or simply enjoying fine food and bev anymore.
I decided to quit drinking forever that day. In my heart I knew that to be my best self for my family, friends, and most importantly ME I had to get serious.
I started running. I focused on journalling. I felt like absolute garbage while my body detoxed for the first two months.
After about four months I started sleeping better, my skin was glowing, my relationships were thriving, my conversations were more meaningful, and I felt a deep personal connection with myself that I had never experienced before. Pride flooded in for making a brave decision in a society that is constantly surrounding you with the pressure to drink. I am super competitive with myself, so I took this new commitment very seriously. I ran a half marathon and crossed the finish line feeling like a brand-new woman. I saved money to buy a new condo with my extremely supportive partner, Brad. I continue to run and will be setting my sights on a big goal of running a full marathon (42kms) in 2024.
Finally, amid all these great achievements I realized that for the first time in my life my personal endeavors were more important than professional success. This was the key. I had always defined myself as a successful bartender. It was my main hobby AND my job. Now I define myself as a runner, a great sister, partner, ally, knitter, amateur photographer, writer, and Formula One fan.
Take a step back, figure out who you really are, and the rest will fall into place. Be okay with spending time alone. Sit in the quietness of your thoughts, cry, laugh, scream, and create a plan of action for growth. Set goals, and remember goals evolve, just like you do. Failure is an opportunity for learning.
It's no coincidence that I am in a high-level hospitality job now. It might seem counterproductive to my job description that I don’t drink alcohol. I swish and spit, set boundaries on event attendance, tastings, and expectations for my participation in such. I leave parties early now, and nobody is ever upset about it. I realized that when you’re doing what is best for you, people fall in line and respect the choice.
I was very publicly honest about my mission to quit alcohol forever when I started, and it’s helped some people along the way. Most importantly, it helped me to hold myself accountable, and be firm about my intentions with friends and family. If someone in your life doesn’t support the decision to quit alcohol, you may want to rethink that relationship. I’ve successfully done NA beer flies behind a few bars with staff since I quit, and I promise it’s not the alcohol content of the shot or fly that you’re having that makes it fun – it’s the camaraderie of the people you’re with.
It’s certainly helpful that there are more alcohol-free options on the market to bring to parties, and restaurants. Call ahead of time, research menus, and don’t feel guilty asking if you can tote some NA drinks along to dinner if the menu isn’t great.
If you’re considering ditching booze, make sure you’re doing it for yourself, not somebody else. Make sure you have someone to talk to when the temptation creeps in (please reach out to me, I am always here for a sober curious conversation). Remember the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Celebrate the wins. Every wedding, birthday party, shift behind the bar, and stressful situation managed without leaning on alcohol is an absolute win. There’s never a good time to quit. The social calendar will never align itself to help you on this journey. Dive in headfirst. Remember you are brave. I promise you won’t regret it.
You can connect with Makina on Instagram at @makinalabrecque