Every May, Elliot would pack his bags and leave Canada to travel the world, hitting Spain, Scotland, Russia and everywhere in between. It was on these frequent trips that he began to understand the role and impact of food in uniting family and culture.

Sometimes growing up in a place devoid of a certain culture—in this case, spirits, wines, and sake—forces one to work extra diligently to find out more. You don’t have the luxury of being surrounded by a particular culture nor do you take anything for granted. It’s resulted in him being named one of the very few foreign Sake Samurais in the world as well as authoring the now critically-acclaimed book, Sake: The History, Stories and Craft of Japan’s Artisanal Breweries.

Elliot’s ongoing journey of learning about the world of spirits and beverages sees no finish line. But his ongoing passion around learning is part of a further interest in passing on the knowledge and getting people excited about the cultural and artisanal nuances of this all-important craft.

In this episode of Grilling Me Softly, Elliot shares his path to Sake Samurai, how it all started, and what keeps him motivated.