Don’t miss any of these global bar stars as they pop up in Shanghai for special guest shifts and masterclasses.
In the week surrounding the DMBA 2019, some of the most renowned bartenders in the world will make Shanghai an unmissable hotspot within the bar industry. With many of them gathering as nominees, attendees and guest bartenders at DMBA 2019, these big names will amp up the celebrations for our annual event by hosting guest shifts and the occasional masterclass across town.
Don’t miss your chance to participate in this unofficial Shanghai cocktail week!
Here is the full line-up.
*Catch these bartenders at DMBA 2019 on December 9.
Alastair Burgess* and Jack Allen (Happiness Forgets, London)
Boasting a 20 year-long career in the bar industry, Ali Burgess struck gold with the founding of Happiness Forgets, the “high-rent cocktail in low-rent basement” establishment which focuses on well-crafted classic twists and devotes entirely to the customers. He and bartender Jack will bring over a taste of the World’s 50 Best Bars-ranked venue for DMBA and guest shifts before.
December 5-7, 8pm-midnight at 1515 West Bar, Jing’An Shangri-La, West Shanghai
Dicky Hartono (The Back Room, Manila)
Born in Indonesia, Dicky Hartono’s career in the bartending industry saw him travel around the world for stints in Oman, Dubai and China. He is currently the bar manager at The Back Room in the Philippines, a venue opened late last year which already made the list at Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019.
December 6 and 7, 9pm-1am at Long Bar, Waldorf Astoria
Ryu Okada* (England)
Ryu Okada grew up in Japan, but found his vocation as a bartender in England where he still works. Since 2012, he runs his own company, Kampai Cocktails – a mobile cocktail service which offers customers a complete cocktail bar experience in their preferred location.
December 7, 8pm-midnight at Chameleon
Ryan Noreiks* and Will Sleeman (Fancy Free, Melbourne)
Co-founder Ryan Noreiks and bartender Will Sleeman are bringing over cocktail project Fancy Free, which you’ll remember was a big part of last year’s DMBA. The concept has been making moves in the Australian bar scene, with plans for a permanent venue in early 2020. Check them out at Bar Mixato and then three totally different-vibed shifts at Punch Room, Canton Disco and Club Room.
December 7, 7pm-11pm at Bar Mixato, Starbucks Reserve Roastery
December 11, 8pm-midnight at Punch Room, The Shanghai EDITION
December 12, 8pm-midnight at Canton Disco, The Shanghai EDITION
December 13, 8pm-midnight at Club Room, The Shanghai EDITION
Mack Ross (The Attic, Shenzhen)
Regulars of the Shanghai bar scene will certainly welcome back Mack Ross, currently bar manager at The Attic inside the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shenzhen. The former bartender of The Nest and owner of Tour (now shuttered) in Shanghai be hitting up his old stomping grounds to shake up Peddlers Gin cocktails at Birds of Paradise.
December 7, 9pm-midnight at Birds of Paradise
Cointreau Queens 2019 winners* (Bar Pi, Chengdu) & Beckaly Franks* (The Pontiac, Hong Kong)
One totally awesome Beckaly Franks (founder of The Pontiac) will join forces with River Huang and her team from Bar Pi (the winners of 2019 Cointreau Queens) for what are bound to be some wild nights and fabulous drinks.
December 7, 9pm-midnight at The CUT Rooftop
December 8, 9pm-midnight at Chameleon
December 10, 9pm-midnight at Bar Renaissance
Rory J Shepherd (Little Red Door, Paris), Sebastian Robinson (Seedlip Asia brand ambassador) and Hyacinthe Lescoet (The Cambridge Public House, Paris)
If you want to go easy on the booze before DMBA, catch some NoLo drinks with Sebastien of Seedlip; Rory, the creative director of Little Red Door in Paris; and Hyacinthe of high-end British Style pub The Cambridge Public House in Paris. The three are joining together for two nights of guest shifts across three bars at The Shanghai EDITION.
December 7 and 8, 8pm-midnight, Club Room, Punch Room, and Lobby Bar, The Shanghai EDITION
Masterclass: December 7, 3pm-4:30pm (Seedlip) / December 8, 3pm-4:30pm (Rory) Club Room, The Shanghai EDITION
Andrew Ho and Bastien Ciocca (Hope & Sesame, Guangzhou)
The DMBA 2018 Bar of the Year, now ranked on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, has grown to become one of the most highly acclaimed in China. Don’t miss this shift with the co-founders and their innovative cocktails with Peddlers Gin at UTC on the night before DMBA.
December 8, 8pm-midnight at The Union Trading Company
Agung Prabowo
Last year’s recipient of the DMBA 2019 Bartender of the Year (Asia) award, Agung needs little introduction. Catch his guest shift the night before DMBA, and then behind the stick at the awards.
December 8, 9pm-midnight at 1515 West Bar, Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai
The Chivas Masters 2019 Global Team
2019 Chivas Masters Global Final champion Sebastian Cichowlas and his team will bring over the competition’s winning Pirouettes concept for DMBA and this bar take over.
December 8, 8pm-midnight at Atelier by Taste Buds
Monkey Challenge for Charity
Jackwing (Spin, Guangzhou), Lola (The Odd Couple, Shanghai), Match Chan (Arena Luxe, Shanghai) and William (Staff Room, Chongqing) are teaming up for a good cause, with all proceeds from their drinks going to Shanghai Children’s Health Foundation – Beacon of Love Congenital Heart Disease Fund. Give back to the community this season by supporting the shift.
December 8, 9pm-midnight at Monkey
David Nguyen-Luu and Frank Hu (Manhattan, Singapore)
Hailing from one of Singapore’s most decorated bars, David Nguyen-Luu and Frank Hu bring a taste of the bar’s cocktails, which will take you on a journey through New York and its diverse neighbourhoods.
December 8, 9pm-midnight at Barules
Ashish Sharma (Bar Trigona, Kuala Lumpur)
Inside the prestigious setting of the Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, head bartender Ashish Sharma, previously employed at Manhattan bar in Singapore, has shaped the identity of Bar Trigona (Asia’s 50 Best Bars) around local and sustainable Malaysian ingredients and a lot of love for Trigona bees.
December 8, 7pm-10pm at Four Seasons Hotel Pudong
December 10, 8pm-midnight at E.P.I.C.
Mr Black on tour with Martin Hudak and Arlene Wong
Mr Black has just been unleashed in China, and Global Coffee Ambassador Martin Hudak and Asia brand ambassador Arlene Wong are heading out on a national tour. A master of many coffee-related cocktails, Martin moved from the American Bar at The Savoy in London to join recently opened Maybe Sammy in Sydney, which has already made the list of World’s 50 Best Bars. Arlene bartends as part of the vivacious team at The Pontiac (Asia’s 50 Best Bars).
December 10, 9pm-midnight at Arch by Taste Buds (Martin)
December 10, 8pm-11pm at Ritz-Carlton Hotel Pudong (Arlene)
December 11, 9pm – midnight at E.P.I.C (Arlene)
Also catch Martin Hudak as part of Sober Company’s Full Moon series:
December 12, 5pm-7pm at Sober Café and 9pm-11pm at Sober Society
Kiki Moka* (The Union Group, Jakarta)
The head bartender of The Union Group is a central figure in the Indonesian bar industry and known around the world as one of the country’s most renowned bartenders. With more than 15 years of experience in the business, Kiki has helped train and develop a generation of young Indonesian bartenders while spearheading cocktail culture in Jakarta. Catch him at the DMBA afterparty alongside Beckaly Franks, too.
December 10, 9pm-midnight at Barules
Joe Schofield* (Schofield’s, Manchester)
Joe Schofield is one of the most renowned bartenders in the industry, and lucky for us he will be bringing over a taste of his soon to open new bar, Schofield’s. Earning his reputation at venues such as American Bar at the Savoy and Tippling Club in Singapore, his work in the industry has earned him some of the industry’s highest accolades – 2018 International Bartender of the Year at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards, and the Bartender’s Bartender award at the World’s 50 Best Bars 2018. Don’t miss.
December 10 and 11, 8pm-midnight at Il Bar, Bulgari Hotel Shanghai
Jiawei Bai and Serena Pulvirenti
Employees Only Singapore (Asia’s 50 Best Bars) was the first international venue of the famed original of the same name in New York, continuing its long tradition of high quality, high volume cocktails and service. The two will serve up EO-style drinks at The Middle House starting the day after DMBA.
December 10 and 11, 9pm-midnight at Cafe Gray Deluxe, The Middle House
Masterclass: December 11, 2-4pm, The Middle House
Erik Lorincz and Rastislav Kasar
World famous bartender and last year’s winner of DMBA’s International Bartender of the Year award returns for the awards and two nights at 1515 West. Erik led the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London for eight years, helping it earn the number one spot on World’s 50 Best Bars, and has now opened Kwãnt (where Rastislav has joined him behind the bar), which entered World’s 50 Best 2019 list shortly after its debut. Don’t miss.
December 10 and 11, 8pm-midnight at 1515 West Bar, Jing’An Shangri-La, West Shanghai
Jay Khan (COA, Hong Kong)
Currently seeing a lot of love and recognition in the Asia scene, the Hong Kong-based agave haven Coa entered Asia’s Best Bars 2019 at number 12, making it the highest new entry of the year, and has also made the list at World’s 50 Best Bars 2019.
December 10, 8pm-11pm at Speak Low
Jackwing Yao (Spin, Guangzhou)
The co-founder and bartender of Guangzhou speakeasy Spin will share some sassy Peddlers Gin cocktails at High on Rye.
December 11, 8pm-late at Rye & Co
