PROOF & COMPANY CELEBRATES BARTENDERS ACROSS APAC ON WORLD BARTENDER DAY

ASIA PACIFIC, 23 FEBRUARY – This World Bartender Day (24 February), Proof & Company is proud to celebrate the incredible bartenders across Asia Pacific who have shaped the industry for generations to come. From innovative mixologists to dedicated bar owners, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on the talented professionals across the region who are redefining and elevating the cocktail culture. Let’s take a look at five of the inspiring bartenders who are making waves in their communities.

Chau Tran, co-owner of the Burrow Bar and Cash Only Diner in Sydney, is a respected and much-admired figure. After completing a degree in marketing and commerce, she worked her way up in the bar industry, starting as a bartender and progressing to the roles of barback, venue manager and finally general manager. In 2016, Tran achieved her goal of owning a venue, joining forces with her best friend Bryce McDonough to open Burrow Bar. The small boutique cocktails and spirits bar was even nominated for a series of awards, including Australian Bartender Magazine’s Bar of the Year, NSW Bar of the Year and Small Bar of the Year for 2019.

Tran further established herself in the industry by becoming the 2019 Global Winner of the Gin Mare and earning second place in the Bar Convent Brooklyn cocktail competition in 2020. Additionally, Tran and her team initiated the hospitality pro-bono marketplace Hospo Threads to provide aid to the hospitality industry, in addition to cooking and delivering more than 10,000 meals to those in need during the pandemic.

When asked what was Tran’s signature drink, she presented Farmer’s Market made with Never Never Juniper Freak Gin.

“This drink sums up Burrow Bar in a cup for me – a joyous hug on the inside from a dear friend. It’s the same feeling I get when let loose at a unique grocery store or wandering around a farmer’s market on a Saturday morning. It is a a drink that celebrates Spring and a drink that reminds me of my favourite time of my week.”

Harry Zhang’s impressive tenure in the cocktail industry began at the Equis Bar of the Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, where he spent two years studying techniques before transferring to the UNION Bar at the Opposite House. During that time, both bars earned the prestigious Drink Awards for the Best Hotel Bar in China.

In his work at UNION Bar, Zhang has dedicated himself to producing modern cocktails that challenge him to find ways of unlocking the full spectrum of flavours and the taste profiles of his drinks. A fitting culmination of his creativity is the Silk Road-inspired bubble punch cocktail that has become his signature.

Blended with Peddlers Rare Eastern Gin and Sichuan E’mei mountain snow jasmine tea, the delicate yet bubbly punch is the embodiment of Chinese flavours. The intensity of pepper is balanced with passion fruit and bergamot, while the final result is an exotic drink with a unique blend of floral, fruity, and spicy notes – making it the perfect beverage to savour in this modern cocktail bar.

Meredith Earle has been a successful presence in New Zealand’s cocktail industry for 10 years, even taking her talents to festivals such as Rhythm n Vines, Bay Dreams, and many other musical gigs throughout Aotearoa. Working under the mentorship of Matt Barnsley at Austin Club, Earle gained invaluable experience as the second-in-charge at the 1950s-style speakeasy. Drawing on and utilising the wealth of native New Zealand ingredients, her excellence in the field saw her crowned winner of both the Show Us Your Roots and Step into Never Never Competition in 2022. Recently, Earle crossed the seas and began her journey at Black Pearl, Melbourne to further her exploration of cocktail concoctions, as well as the local produce and landscapes of Australia.

Earle’s signature cocktail has been a personal favourite, with the components themselves reflective of the Aroha (love) she has for her mother and her roots. Sustainable and full of foraged ingredients and fresh produce, the concoction also incorporates Roots Gin and horopito, embodying the Maori heritage that lies close to her heart. A salt garnish serves as a reminder of the salty sea air near her family’s urupā (cemetery) in Kawa Kawa Bay, an area in which Earle is able to relax and truly feel at home. But the most special part of her concoction lies in the rose cordial, made with love by Earle herself.

“The homemade Rose cordial is a good balance of sweet and sour, inspired by my mother Joanne Rose Earle and her mother Alice Rosie Williams. These two women are my roots and have made me who I am today.”

Drawing from his years in Hong Kong’s F&B industry, Maikal Gurung is highly renowned for his invention of cocktails and the tutelage he provides to inexperienced bartenders. Gurung has served as the Head Bartender of Lobster Bar in Shangri-la Hong Kong and, having the spirit for new explorations in the world of cocktails, he is now the General Manager of The Daily Tot. With the freedom to freely express himself through the creation of cocktails, today Gurung guides the team of rum makers and youthful bartenders as they venture through the realm of rum.

With The Daily Tot’s passion for extraordinary rum, it’s only fitting that Gurung’s signature cocktail features the distinctive Plantation Rum. Inspired by Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon’s navy grog “recipe” from 1740, The Tot Grog gives an updated spin on the traditional drink with its blend of coconut water, coconut soda, and Plantation Rum. The refreshing result is a nod to its history, paying homage to its past while creating a modern concoction that energies guests.

Nursham Affiyan bin Abdul Rahman, otherwise known as Sham, is the bar supervisor at Lucha Loco, a festive eatery nestled within the concrete jungle of Singapore’s Duxton Hill. This converted shophouse boasts delicious Mexican cuisine as well as a hidden garden, and Sham’s passion for aged agave spirits and artisanal mezcals brings even more authenticity to the place. When concocting a cocktail, Sham loves to have fun and add a bit of zing to the drink with an assortment of bitters.

A prime example of his handiwork is his signature, Fiery Paloma. The sweet, fiery scent of the classic cocktail, enhanced by firewater bitters, combined with the candied and smooth La Travesia is an olfactory journey reminiscent of a spirited Mexican afternoon. His creative artistry is infused with enthusiasm and panache – it is what distinguishes his work from the rest.