These Three Bartenders Can Make a Fish Sauce Cocktail Taste Good

Three bar masters. Three “secret” ingredients. One judge. Would Beijing’s cocksure mixologists fumble when faced with an unusual condiment or unfamiliar fruit? Or can they concoct a drink to impress one tough taster? In the spirit of Iron Chef, we put our bartenders to the test by announcing a secret ingredient, giving them ten minutes to conceive of and create a mix, and finding out just how creative a cocktail can get.

This month's iron ingredients include Wang Zai milk, grass jelly, and Thai fish sauce.

The Contestants:

Sean Wang, Mado Bar
Sean has been bartending for one year, but he has been collecting absinthe for ten. Thus, more than thirty rare bottles cover the shelves in his hutong bar, while another fifty unopened varieties from his trips to underground distilleries around the world remain in his personal collection. When he’s not bartending, he performs in an indie rock outfit called Zakka.

Steven Yang, Mosto
Four years have seen Steven pouring reds and signature cocktails behind Mosto’s bar, so it’s no surprise he gets creative in the kitchen, pulling fresh fruit and veg for his cocktail recipes. From 6-7pm every day he’s hard at work doling out buy-one-get-one-free drinks for guests, so when he has the chance to get off his feet, he likes to relax with a bottle of Penfolds Australian wine.

Jeff Zhao, Club Suzie Wong
If there’s anything Jeff has learned from his five years of service at Suzie Wong’s, it’s that he has to move fast. Weekend parties can sometimes demand four or five Long Island Iced Teas for just one person, and he can whip one up in less than two minutes. Previously, he worked in the forestry industry, but his sister, a fellow bartender, convinced him to make the switch.

The Judge:

Jack Zhang, Vivid, Conrad Hotel
Jack has nearly ten years of experience at hotels in and around Beijing to give his new Vivid menu plenty of street cred. We’re puckering at his twist on a Cosmopolitan, which he plans to serve with a dish of raspberries for topping or enjoying on their own. Every Wednesday from 9pm-midnight he’s busy satisfying the ladies with free-flow house pours.

To find out how each of them fared click here to go straight to our latest issue.

Photos: Mitchell Pe Masilun