An Interview with Mixologist Pham Tien Tiep, La Plume Bar Hanoi

from Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

April 2016

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

full issue at:  http://www.youblisher.com/p/1459576-HOTS-APRIL-2016/

A cocktail is a work of art, with a background and a soul

Pham Tien Tiep is the epitome of the rags-to-riches success story. From a poor countryside boy to a champion bartender, his life is full of challenges and surprises.

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine
April 2016

Born in a small village at 60km from Hanoi, Pham Tien Tiep experienced a difficult childhood. At the age of 15, he left school and moved to Hanoi to find a job. He had no idea what he wanted to do, then started as a shoe shiner, a labourer in a Pho stand and a factory making T-shirt. These early work experiences went on to shape his future career in ways he could not have predicted at the time, of which his “Pho” cocktail is known as a brilliant example.

His approach to KOTO, a restaurant and training centre which provides disadvantaged youth with a two-year training program in hospitality skills and personal development saw the change of his life. He was offered a formal course in music because he used to consider himself a musician. However, working later at Le Pub, a cozy bar for foreign clientele in the heart of Hanoi’s old quarter, he found his true love for creating cocktails. He then convinced Le Club manager to promote him to the bar, where he learned how to mix drinks. Within a year he was the bar manager. Within two-year stint, craving more skills and experiences, Tiep set his sights on Angelina, a luxury Italian restaurant and bar in the Legend Sofitel Metropole Hanoi. Despite lacking a high school diploma and the requisite certificate in five-star hospitality, he was finally given this shot by promising to be the best bartender in Hanoi. After two years of work, he did what he dreamt.

In 2012, Pham Tien Tiep won the best bartender of Vietnam with his famous “Pho” cocktail and became the first Vietnamese representative to attend the Global Final of “Diageo Reserve World Class 2012” held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), with enrollment of over 50 world’s best bartenders.

Tiep created “Pho” cocktail at Sofitel Metropole Hanoi hotel, just above the war bunkers where the American musician Joan Baez sang to the guests in December 1972 as bombs fell on the city. The alcohol in the cocktail is lit on fire to represent the bombs, while spices, such as chili and cinnamon reflect the warmness of her voice.

After the success of “Pho” cocktail, came other drinks with stories that linked inextricably to the flavours, culture and history of Hanoi. One of them is “Full Moon” cocktail, recalling the dream of a little girl about her late mother. She met her mother in a full moon night and enjoyed her delicious sweet and sour fish soup. This story touched his heart because he also lost his mother since very young. “Full Moon” cocktail is flavoured with herbs and spices that make the sweet and sour fish soup and enchants cocktail’s lovers with a familiar and relaxing taste.

In 2015, Tiep joins La Plume, an elegant and intimate bar and bistro in the Press Club building, where he continues introducing a true mixology culture to cocktail lovers in Hanoi. In an atmosphere filled with Long Bien bridge’s emotions, it is fantastic to enjoy his wonderful “Under the bridge” cocktail. Based on the charming flavor of the sweet and sour fish sauce served with boiled snails, a Hanoi’s popular delicacy, the cocktail tells the difficult but joyful life of poor workers living under Long Bien bridge. The message is despite hardship, life is always beautiful.

For Tiep, a cocktail isn’t simply something to drink. “It is a work of art with a background and a soul”. This young man will keep going up to master the mixology art he has a great passion for.

An Interview with Mixologist / Bar Manager Rocky Cuong, JW Marriott Hanoi

from Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

April 2016

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

full issue at:  http://www.youblisher.com/p/1459576-HOTS-APRIL-2016/

Antidote Bar - JW Marriott Hanoi

For many frequent travellers, a quality lounge serving signature cocktails is a highly desired feature within a hotel.  The lounge and it’s quality service provide an opportunity for the weary traveller to unwind after a hectic day.

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine
April 2016

We have been fortunate to spend time at the Antidote Bar at the JW Marriott in Hanoi and catch-up with Rocky Cuong, the property’s Bar Manager and mixologist.

[HI]  Could you give us a bit of a background on your history in nightclubs?  How did you end up as Bar Manager at the JW Marriott?

[RC]  I had opportunity to work at Rooftop Bar and Fuse Club, two of the most popular night bars and clubs in Hanoi. They are Hip-hop night clubs, attracting young guests. Then I started my career at JW Marriott Hanoi as Assistant Bar Manager, gained promotion and here I am!

[HI]  Is there a difference managing a standard nightclub and one at a 5-star hotel?  

[RC] There is a big difference. Working in a bar/night club at 5-star hotel, I need to take care of each guest, ensuring total satisfaction. Everything must be perfect, the cocktail quality, service, etc. In a standard night club, the top priority is make the crowd crazy with music, everything else is complement.

Rocky Cuong
Mixologist / Bar Manager - Antidote Bar

[HI]  What are the unique features of Antidote?  What brings customers in?  

[RC] Drawing inspiration from the modern sophistication, Antidote Bar is stylish with marble and black wood interior design scheme and direct view over the beautiful lake.

The bar offers a wide range of seating; you can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere in your own private booth, lounge on a sofa or sit at the bar where the talented mixologists will fix you up a classic cocktail or one of their signatures.  As well as a carefully selected wine and spirit list, Antidote is home to over 80 whiskies – one of the most extensive collections in Vietnam. The interactive environment combined with intuitive service and resident DJs spinning beats throughout the weekend, Antidote Bar is a perfect place for relaxation, fine conversation and luxury indulge.

[HI]  How do the customers at Marriott’s Antidote Bar differ from those at other nightclubs?

[RC] They are a little more mature compared to the clubs down town and have solid beverage knowledge. They know what they like to drink!

[HI]  What involvement do you have in creating new cocktails?

[RC] We work together as a team to come up with ideas then work on the specs. As much as possible we try to give a local touch to classics.

[HI]  What are your favorite signature drink selections from the Antidote menu, and what goes into making them?

[RC]  I really enjoy “Breakfast in Antidote”. It’s a refreshing and fruity cocktail mixing from local oranges and Earl Grey tea. To make the best “Breakfast in Antidote” we need to infuse the exact amount of Earl Grey Tea

into the Belvedere for one hour. Longer than 1 hour, it will be over infuses and the cocktail will have bitter taste. Under infuse we can’t feel the tea flavor.

[HI]  What do you enjoy most about your job?

[RC] Seeing customers smile and enjoy their drinks. Simple.

[HI]  What qualities do you think a successful hotel Bar Manager should have?

[RC] First and foremost you need passion. Throw in some creativity, ability to work in a large team and a little patience and you’re half way there. Working in hotels offers you much great opportunities than stand-alone bars so if you are driven then you have the chance to grow your career much quicker than may otherwise be possible.

Hotelier Indonesia would like to thank Rocky for taking time to speak with us.

Interview with Knut Randhem, Regional Head Mixologist, KU DÉ TA Singapore

from Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

Issue 21, August 2015

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

full issue at:  http://www.youblisher.com/p/1190668-Hots1138/

It was a pleasure for Hotelier Indonesia to catch up with the Knut Randhem at KU DÉ TA, atop the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

[HI]  Do you consider yourself a bartender or mixologist?  What’s the difference for you?

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine
Issue 21, August 2015

[KR]  I believe all people making drinks behind the bar are bartenders. Mixologists are more focused on making drinks well. As for myself at KU DÉ TA, I take on both roles as I’m a bartender at heart and have helped to set up the bar from scratch, as well as the mixologist role in creating and curating the cocktail programme.

[HI]  What qualities do you think a successful mixologist should have?

[KR]  I think that person needs to have the ability to read people and have a good understanding on how to entertain. People visit bars to have a good time and that’s our main goal to accommodate that.

[HI]  How did you get into the art of mixology?

[KR]  As a young kid I actually wanted to become a chef so I attended culinary school in Sweden, and then went on to be a waiter. One day I stepped behind the bar, fell in love with it and never stepped out of it since.

Knut Randhem

[HI]  Where did you get your training?  How did you come up with your style?

[KR]  Since I’ve done culinary school, I’m used to working with flavours in many different ways. But other than that, I have been very fortunate to work with some really talented people to help developing my craft. I think that’s one of the things that make the cocktail scene great, as there’s a mentality that everyone contributes to driving the scene forward together. I have also always been really interested in the rich history of the cocktail world and read up intently on it. Until this day, I take inspiration from the classics in my creation of new cocktails.

[HI]  How did you end up at Ku De Ta?

[KR]  After working for 10 years in Copenhagen, Denmark, I got offered to go Thailand with the consultancy company to develop a new cocktail program for the latest KU DÉ TA branch in Bangkok. While my boss when back to Denmark I stayed on the project to maintain it. And then ended up with my current position where I overlook all the company’s bar operations. The response was really great and our cocktails were well loved, so late last year, the KU DÉ TA group instated me as their Head Regional Mixologist. I moved out to the flagship here in Singapore, and just introduced my first Singapore foray with an overhaul of the cocktail list at KU DÉ TA Singapore with heavy influences of the group’s Modern Asian philosophy and building on the classics.

[HI]  What goes into creating a new cocktail? What inspires you?

Knut Randhem

[KR]  I always base my cocktails on classic formulas or classic drinks. It’s not easy to create a completely new style of drinks, since most of them are already created. But using these classic drinks I can create my own expression of them. For KU DÉ TA specifically, I try to keep the drinks very crisp and clean with a lot of local (Asian inspired) flavours that are influenced from the group’s Modern Asian philosophy.

[HI]  What are some of your “greatest hits” cocktails?

[KR]  There have been quite a number of drinks that we created that have become very popular at KU DÉ TA. Rose Lemonade (Vodka, lemon rose essence and soda); Kiku Vesper, which I very proud of, where I’ve made our own signature fortified sake with yuzu shojuand gin. It has become our signature martini. But the Storm Cooler is probably the most recognised cocktail on our menu. I like it since it’s a good example of our concept, vodka passion fruit and lime with honey, with the twist of agedliquorice which I brought in from my home country, Sweden.  

[HI]  What was your most recent cocktail, and what was your thinking behind it?

[KR]  The last cocktail I introduced on the menu is called Whisky Charlie Mango, as we felt that we needed one more whiskey based drink to balance the menu with. I had a drink with some mango, and I’m not a big fan of mango, but this one was really interesting. So I decided to do a “stiff” drink with the flavours of mango. So I took fresh mango and made a cordial with it and balanced it with some vinegar. With this cordial, we made a whisky-based sour and added some homemade chilli bitters to add another dimension to the drink. It turned out so good that it’s now one of my best selling cocktails on the menu.

[HI]  What are the mixology scenes like in Bangkok and Singapore?

Knut Randhem

[KR]  They are two very different scenes. Singapore in my opinion has a very well developed cocktail scene with a lot of world class bars and bartenders so it’s very interesting and full of inspiration. Bangkok is still up and coming, but in just the past one and a half years I’ve been there the face of the scene has changed tremendously. The local talent is learning very fast, and there’s more and more international influences being added so I would not be surprised if we see Bangkok as the next big scene in Southeast Asia in a few years.  

[HI]  What are some current trends you’ve seen in the cocktail market? How have trends changed?

[KR]  I like the fact that the guests we get in our bars are more aware of the current trends. They ask for specific brands in their drinks. They know what it takes to make a drink and what to expect from it. It was just a few years ago that a lot of our guests went to bars more for the effect of drinking alcohol than the experience of appreciating the flavours. This enables us as bartenders to be forced to keep pushing to develop.

[HI]  What's next? Where will we find you in five years?

[KR]  I still hope to be a part of KU DÉ TA and keep pushing our brand forward and remain cutting edge in the industry. We have quite a unique position in the market where we can offer a wide range of experiences which gives us a strong drive to keep developing ourselves.

Hotelier Indonesia would like to thank Knut Randhem for his kind consideration and participation in this interview.