Taiwan mixologists are fast developing a reputation for shaking, stirring and pouring some of the world’s most critically acclaimed cocktails. Leading the pack is Chen Chun-shen, who won the flair category at the Asia Pacific Bartender of the Year Cocktail Competition July 31st in Singapore and ensured Taiwan took the title for the 10th consecutive year.
Chen, a sophomore at Kaohsiung City-based Fortune Institute of Technology in southern Taiwan, defeated contenders from 15 countries to take home prize money of 500 Singapore dollars (US$396), a trophy and certificate of commendation.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support and training of my cocktail mentors from the Bartenders Association of Taiwan,” Chen told Taiwan Today in an Aug. 7 interview. “It is their deep faith in me that drove me on and I dedicate this championship to them.”
Chen, 20, dazzled the judges with flashy moves such as juggling and flipping bottles and shakers in a five-minute performance inspired by “The Phantom of the Opera.”
“On top of the showmanship, which is aimed at enhancing the overall bartending experience for a customer, an innovative and outstanding cocktail recipe is paramount for a win,” Chen said.
Comprising chocolate liqueur, almond liquor, whisky, peach syrup and a splash of freshly-squeezed lime, Chen’s Chocolate Malt did the trick of impressing the panel. Its subtle combination of fragrant chocolate, malt flavor with a hint of sweetness left the judges grinning from ear to ear.
Chen paid tribute to his instructors from the association for their input into his Phantom get-up and cocktail creation.
“I spent at least 10 hours a day for three months prior to the competition working with my instructors and fine-tuning the entire performance,” he said. “The slightest slip of the hand or nervous moment can affect the proportions of alcohol and ruin the entire drink.”
Perfect teamwork between Taiwan mixologists and their instructors is key to strong international performances. (Courtesy of BAT)
Chen said other concerns were weighing heavy on his mind in the run-up to the Asia-Pacific competition. An injury picked up in a car crash a week before the tournament, as well as a less-than-stellar showing at the Diageo Reserve World Class Hong Kong Bartender of the Year Competition in May, left him questioning whether he had the right stuff to pull through and win.
“All I could think of was not letting my instructors down,” he said, adding that this self-imposed pressure was enough to help him focus and take the top prize.
“My goal now is to work hard and broaden my cocktail-making knowledge and flair skills so as to earn the rights to represent Taiwan in the World Cocktail Championship someday.”
Another Taiwan mixologist hoping to emulate Chen’s success is Chen Ya-chi, a female phenom behind the bar who took second place in the creative cocktail category at the Asia-Pacific competition.
“It was my first international competition and I am grateful for the opportunity to compete and assistance offered by the association and ROC Ministry of Culture," she told Taiwan Today.
“Unlike ‘flairtending,’ cocktail bartending is all about the drink itself,” Chen Ya-chi said. “There is nowhere to hide. Every shake and splash of alcohol or juice makes a difference.”
Chen Ya-chi’s Somewhere in Time, which was designed by association instructors, is made up of spicy mango syrup, 12-year-old malt whisky, grapefruit syrup and lemon juice.
“This is a smooth cocktail that has multiple layers. Each flavor stands out yet the overall impression is of a well-blended drink,” she said.
Both mixologists said they developed an interest in bartending while studying at high school. But it was only after meeting association Honorary President Hsien Mei-mei that they started taking their bartending skills to a professional level.
Hsieh, who is considered Taiwan’s “godmother” of mixology, was awarded a special achievement trophy by the International Bartenders’ Association for coaching 10 Asia-Pacific bartending champions.
Hsieh Mei-mei, honorary president of the Bartenders Association of Taiwan, is committed to promoting the ROC as a force in global bartending. (Courtesy of BAT)
“When I took a team overseas to compete for the first time in 2000, I told people we came from Taiwan but they all thought I said Thailand,” she said. “I am now dedicated to promoting bartending and training mixologists with only one aim—making Taiwan known to the world.”
Hsieh said Taiwan mixologists have come a long way since those early days, winning more than 60 prizes over the past 13 years. But this was possible only through hard work, close cooperation and her desire to blend bartending with theatrical razzmatazz, she added.
“Our mixologists are not as proficient as their foreign counterparts in terms of flipping and juggling bottles, so we must win points in other areas by going the extra mile in performing eyepopping flair techniques.”
This strategy has delivered fruitful results as over the years. Taiwan contestants have won numerous international competitions dressed as Hong Kong martial arts legend Bruce Lee, U.S. music icon Michael Jackson, Japanese ninjas and American comic book character Spider-Man.
Hsieh said this year the association made a bold move by selecting rookie bartenders to participate in the Asia-Pacific competition.
“We wanted to create a history and lay the foundations for the future,” she said. “It was not so much about winning the competition for the 10th time running, but proving that our newcomers are capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with their regional rivals.
“I hope the international community recognizes the efforts of Taiwan’s mixologists and how far they have come. We see this streak of 10 wins as a take-off point for greater global glories.”
Hsieh said she is scheduled to lead the Taiwan team to participate in the World Cocktail Championship set for Aug. 16-22 in Prague, Czech Republic. She hopes Taiwan contestants will once again prove their mettle and earn the right to display the ROC national flag on the winner’s podium. (JSM)
Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw