Raphael Meyer

RaphaelMEYER58 ° DRINKS WORLD

Hong Kong born and raised, Raphael Meyer has worked at some of the region’s most renowned venues. Recently landing a gig as Bar Manager at Neo Cocktail Club, Raphael has used his wealth of experience, and keen attention to flavour to refresh the artisanal cocktail menu.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, from a mixed background, my father is from France and mother is from Hong Kong. Ever since I was a kid, I was into arts, so I’ve always been quite creative. After high school, I took a gap year and went to Beijing. I fell in love with the bar scene there (even though it was mostly clubs) and that is what pushed me to get into this industry and exploit my artistry by creating drinks that I believe people might enjoy.

TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED TO CREATE YOUR COCKTAIL WITH AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT. The spirit I’ve created my cocktail with is Nusa Caña, which is an Indonesian rum that is relatively new to the market. It’s a beautiful blend of Javanese and Caribbean rum, which gives it a particular tropical taste. In retrospect, I wanted to create a cocktail that is smooth, refreshing and what highlights the aspect of the island life.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE HONG KONG BAR SCENE NEEDS MORE AND LESS OF? I think the Hong Kong bar scene needs more of a female presence behind the bar. Although there are already some fantastic female bartenders around Hong Kong, I still believe that customers would love to see more of the finesse and elegance that a lady can offer. On the other hand, I believe that since Hong Kong’s bar scene is so diverse and therefore each place has its unique style, I don’t think it needs anything less.

IF YOU WEREN’T BARTENDING WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? If I weren’t bartending, I would have chosen a path into the field of arts. I have always been passionate about tattooing. Having quite a few tattoos myself; I think I would fit well into that industry. And there’s some pride as well in marking someone’s skin permanently (that’s if you don’t mess up the tattoo).

WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO ANYONE LOOKING AT JOINING THE INDUSTRY AS A PROFESSION? My best advice would be to invest in yourself 100%. To be a great bartender, you must, first of all, learn the basics of mixing drinks. Without that knowledge, it is hard to make new drinks that will entice people to come back and try your creations. And second, you must be confident. Show the customers that you know what you are doing and never second-guess yourself.

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE WITH? I’ve always been a huge fan of Hidetsugu Ueno. He is one of the pioneers of mixology, and I truly respect his methods of working. Therefore, it would be an enormous privilege to do a guest shift with him at his Tokyo Bar “High Five”.

Java Banilla

INGREDIENTS: • 50ml Nusa Caña Rum • 30ml Banana liqueur • 30ml Fresh lime juice • 20ml Vanilla syrup • 3 x Dashes of plum bitters

METHOD: Add all ingredients into a shaker. Shake and double strain

GARNISH: Sprig of mint and banana chips

GLASSWARE: Julep cup

ICE: Cubed and crushed

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY. When I was a student, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in the future until I met Brian Tam. He showed me how to make drinks using the flair bartending style. At that moment, I told myself I wanted to become a person like him!

TELL US ABOUT THE LIQUID USED IN YOUR COCKTAIL AND THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR DRINK. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is created in Austin, Texas by using old-fashioned pot stills. It’s made from yellow corn instead of the more commonly used wheat or potatoes, resulting in a mildly sweet aftertaste and is distilled six times. This cornbased vodka has inspired me to make a cocktail that tastes like the desserts my mother used to make. She is Indonesian and Chinese and uses a lot of corn and coconut sugar in her cooking.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE IN THE INDUSTRY? All the people I have worked with. Especially Mr Serhan Kusaksizoglu, Mr Balazs Molnar, Mr James Tamang, Mr Joe Villanueva and Miki Yeung. I would say they taught me not only bartending but also how to become a hotelier and a good person. Thank you to all of them.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT BEHIND THE BAR? My proudest moment is when customers leave with a smile. Happiness is valued like treasure.

AND YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING BAR STORY? I broke a glass bottle when I performed flair bartending in front of a guest. I was very lucky not to hurt them. It reminded me, “Practice at home, perform in the bar.’

IF YOU COULD DO ONE GUEST SHIFT WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHO WOULD IT BE WITH? Life is so beautiful. I would love to meet different people from all over the world and share my love of bartending.

Simon’s passion for the food and beverage industry was born the day he met Brian Tam, a highly respected flair bartender. Since that time, Simon has worked hard to make a name for himself, but at the end of the day, he is more than happy to see his patrons go home with a smile on their faces.

Simon KongDRINKS WORLD ° 63

Tito’s Comfort

INGREDIENTS: • 45ml Tito’s Handmade Vodka • 30ml Corn pandan coconut sugar syrup • 15ml Fresh lemon juice

METHOD: Add all ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain into rocks glass

GARNISH: Rose petal

GLASSWARE: Rocks glass

ICE: Block