By Ted Simpson –
Kitchissippi’s Stephen Flood is known as one of the most talented bar tenders in the city of Ottawa. He’s been behind the bar at Black Tomato (which he also co-owned) in the ByWard Market, El Camino on Elgin Street, and is currently serving up cocktails at Riviera on Sparks Street. Though best known for his mixology, he is also a huge lover of fashion, and has dabbled as a shoe salesman at WOLF and Zed, a high-end boutique on Sussex Drive, and tried his hand as a clothing designer in recent years.
Stephen is currently reading Theft By Finding, by David Sedaris. The book is a collection of journal entries by the American humourist, comedian and author, which go as far back as the late 70’s, and include his observations on daily life that range from poignant to ridiculous. “Sedaris is a laugh-out-loud humourist, and his diaries are proving to be very interesting insights into where his short fiction comes from,” says Stephen.
“One of the best things I’ve read lately is a series of detective novels set in Cardiff, Wales,” says Stephen, referring to the series by British author, Harry Bingham, that tell the stories of a young Welsh detective, Fiona Griffiths. “In the best crime fiction you not only get a good mystery, you also get a real feel for the atmosphere of the city and country,” says Stephen. The first book in the series is titled Talking to The Dead.
“Combined with an absolutely fascinating female protagonist, and very smart, funny dialogue the five books in the series are very good,” he says.
When he finds time to tuck into a book, Stephen leaves the bar behind and makes his way to a different world of liquid delights, the neighbourhood cafe. “A lot of my reading gets done in coffee shops,” says Stephen. “Several Bridgeheads and the Hintonburg Ministry Of Coffee are usually where I try to carve out some quiet time to lose myself in the world of words.”
This post is part of our annual summer reads issue. Read all of our 2017 profiles right here.