Originally from Brittany, Marie-Laure spent her childhood in Normandy before settling in Nantes. She began her career in tourism before joining the hotel industry in 2000. The training she undertook enabled her to discover and learn the bartender’s trade.
Marie-Laure, can you describe your career path? and in particular at Disneyland Paris at the Café Fantasia in the Disneyland Hotel (now the Fleur de Lys Bar)
After completing my studies and my first contracts in various hotel bars in France and in particular at Disneyland Paris at the Café Fantasia in the Disneyland Hotel (now the Fleur de Lys Bar) and at Rio Grande Bar in the Disney Hotel Santa Fe, I had various opportunities in renowned French luxury hotels. In August 2013, I joined the Disneyland Paris teams again as Team Leader at the Sports Bar in Disney Village, then Team Leader at Captain’s Quarters, the bar at Disney’s Newport Bay Club. Finally, I had the opportunity to be promoted internally as an experienced Team Leader at the former Fleur de Lys Bar, Café Fantasia at the Disneyland Hotel. Today, and since October 2021, I’ve been working at the Skyline Bar at the Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel.
You’ve taken part in a number of cocktail-making competitions. Can you tell us more about them?
Indeed, I chose to take part in various competitions, firstly to find out what it was really like, but also to meet other bartenders from different establishments. This enabled me to observe what was being done elsewhere, but also to see the different ways of working. After that, I got a taste for it, and it gave me the desire to challenge myself against others and develop my creativity, all the while being recognized by my peers. It’s worth noting that when I started my career, this sector was predominantly male. Today, and especially at Disneyland Paris, there’s a very good parity between men and women.
That’s why I’ve been lucky enough to compete for and win several prestigious awards in prestigious categories.
Can you tell us about the latest creation you’ve been working on?
We recently developed a range of mocktails, i.e. non-alcoholic cocktails, for our adult guests. At Skyline Bar, we always try to associate a story or character from the MARVEL universe with our creations. That’s why I created the Realm Protector, inspired by the film Black Panther which takes place in Wakanda. The idea was to work with products stemming from African cultures. So I turned to bissap, a hibiscus infusion of African origin, which is a drink I’m particularly fond of for its benefits. I like to use it especially for guests who are particularly careful about what they consume and who want a drink with less sugar, for example. To this base, I chose to add cranberry nectar, which has similar benefits to hibiscus, especially as they are very complementary products. To add a tangy note, I added a small dose of ginger and for sweetness, hibiscus syrup.
To finish, I decided to add a clear ice with the Avengers “A” symbol for elegance and sobriety, sublimated by a violet pansy flower in reference to the flowers used in the film to awaken T’Challa’s (Black Panther) powers.
To make this mocktail, you’ll need to prepare a bissap infusion, i.e. drop 3 grams of dried hibiscus flowers to infuse in a liter of boiling water. Then pour into an ice-filled shaker: 2cl hibiscus syrup – 1cl ginger concentrate – 4cl cranberry nectar – 13cl bissap infusion. Shake the shaker well and serve in an old-fashioned glass, garnished with a pansy flower. And there you have it, you’ll be able to reproduce this cocktail I imagined, and which is available at the Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel!
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