Mixing with the Best

You might think that “Asia’s Best Bartender” would have spent his whole career cultivating his art behind the bar; but Jackie Ho comes from far humbler roots. The Hong Kong native worked in construction, made pastries and delivered sandwiches in until one day, while lugging a massive basket of sandwiches around in the sweltering heat, he stopped for a quick drink at a small Italian café. Drenched in sweat, Ho observed the clientele inside and had one of those existential “What am I doing?” moments. He decided then and there to ask for an interview and was hired the next day. From there, Jackie spent three years working at some of Hong Kong’s biggest clubs until earning a spot serving drinks at the C Club, where he quickly earned a name for himself with his innovative concoctions.

In 2007 he won first place in the Belvedere Vodka “Asia’s Best Bartender” competition and went on to compete in the “World’s Best Bartender” competition in London, where he placed in the top five. Ho moved to Beijing in 2008where he landed at the Legation Quarter as the main mixologist for its venues Fez, Aqua, Shiro Matsu and Hex. We recently sat down with Jackie to learn more about how he became the best.

What is the best drink you’ve ever had?

At the World’s Best Bartender Finals in London, a bartender from England named Peter, who is known as the “Martini King,” made me the most amazing classical martini. It’s not about putting ten ingredients in a drink – who can taste all of those individually? It’s about the quality of ingredients.

What should people not miss when they come to Fez?

First of all, they shouldn’t miss meeting me. I’m here every night except Sundays. Come ask for me, and I’ll make you a drink. The Casablanca is pretty spectacular; it has white chocolate that is melted with milk and cream, green tea essence, vanilla, coconut and rum. You should also try our Amour Rouge, which has raspberries, fresh rose petals, champagne, Cointreau, vodka, and a rim of crushed rose petals.

What is your favorite place to go for a drink?

I enjoy Lan and Q Bar, and I’ve been waiting to try a drink from this Japanese bartender at Sanlitun [Iida Tomonobu from Glen] that people have been talking about.

What makes your type of bartending stand out from others?

Everybody drinks and some people drink a lot. There are a lot of chemicals in many types of cheap liquor. I believe that if you’re drinking, you should be drinking healthily. Therefore, I make many of my own liqueurs and am very picky about ingredients. It takes about four weeks to make something; I infuse my vodkas with sugar and fruit. The product is fantastic and healthy and all of our cocktails are very fresh.

How long does it take you to create a drink?

I usually practice making a drink over the course of several days. I will do it three or four times a day and then take a break from it so I can think about what is missing and come back to it.

What advice do you have for aspiring bartenders?

Always taste the drink before you give it to the client! A lot of bartenders don’t do that and the client misses out on that element of personalized attention.

How do Beijing’s bartenders stand up to London’s, Hong Kong’s, and New York’s? What’s the main difference?

After talking to my fellow bartenders at the world competition, the main objection to Asian bartenders is that many do not understand the history and evolution of alcohol. It seems that the only objective of many bartenders in Asia is to make the drink strong, but then you miss out on the finesse of a real drink. Asia is expanding bars and locations like crazy, but its not expanding its skills.

How did you start competing in these international bartending competitions?

I was invited to compete in competitions around Hong Kong, and my name started getting out as I was winning. Then, there was a huge competition of 12 Asian countries with the top three going to London to compete with 10 other countries, such as Italy, Spain, England, and the US. But these titles don’t mean anything to me – it only means something when you make a client the right drink.

What sort of alcohol should everyone have at home for their bar?

Gin, Vodka, Rum, Whiskeys. Also, it’s easy for those at home to make their own infused vodkas. Just add sugar and fresh fruit and mull it for four weeks.

How do you think of new cocktails to make? Do you keep a notebook?

That’s one of my worst traits. If I’m walking in a supermarket and I have a sudden idea, I have to take a picture immediately, or I’ll forget it.

What do you do that has made you the best bartender in Asia and one of the top five bartenders in the world?

I think its not what you’re born with, its how hard you work and where you work. Let me tell you a story: A few years back, I cut my arm badly while moving things around in the bar. I didn’t notice at first, and I kept wiping my forehead until someone screamed out that I was covered in blood. I realized then that I couldn’t feel three of my fingers and I ended up passing out. I didn’t bartend for over six months after that because I had caused extensive damage to my hand. That didn’t stop me. You have to want it. I give my clients personal attention. At the end of the day, the goal is to make your client happy and to serve the best ingredients.