Q&A with Tron Young: Founder of Singapore Bar Awards

The explosive growth of hip watering holes around Singapore and the increasing interest in the bar scene have finally brought together – under the leadership of William Grant & Sons – the first and much-anticipated Singapore Cocktail Week.

In addition to securing the participation of 30 top-notch bars around town, the week-long event will also play host to 10 internationally-acclaimed bartenders who will be showcasing their talent in concocting world-class cocktails. But to kick it all off, the prestigious Singapore Bar Awards will take place on March 8^th to honour the best spots and people in the industry who have been helping us relieve our daily stress levels through great drinks and friendly service.

Created in 2014 by acclaimed industry veteran, Tron Young, who established the Singapore Bar Industry Accord (SBIA), the awards aim to highlight professionals, their skills, passion and dedication to their craft, thus bringing recognition to the men and women of the bar community.

After all, behind the fun and festive image of cocktails lies a huge dose of work. Akin to chefs, bartenders search, learn, create and train – it is a lifelong process, and that is exactly what the ceremony celebrates. So hats off to all of them!

Gourmand Asia spoke to the man himself to discuss candidly on Singapore’s cocktail scene, sharing his vision as a bartender and a client.

Gourmand Asia: Singapore is the hottest cocktail city in Asia, overtaking Hong Kong and Shanghai. How do you explain this infatuation? 
Tron Young: Yes, Singapore is the hottest cocktail city in Asia and we would probably hold this reign for many years to come. I guess it comes down to many factors. One of them would have to be that Singapore is a great city to do business. Having a stable government with very little corruption is very attractive to set up your Asian base here. Most international companies would have their base in Singapore because the government is so stable. Also, Singapore’s location is very convenient, you can travel to anywhere in Asia with ease. So, new business brings in new people and new people bring in new talents and cultures. It slowly develops from there. I’m pretty sure opening two major casinos within a couple of years of each other would help the F&B and cocktail scene too.

How would you describe cocktail enthusiasts in Singapore? Is it more about fun, sophistication or knowledge? What are they looking for?   
I don’t think there is a blanket classification for cocktail enthusiasts. But there are definite types. The ones that don’t take it so seriously are the most enjoyable to serve and drink with, they don’t really look for much except for a good drink in a nice place surrounded by great people (and that can be staff or friends). I think the majority of Singapore’s cocktail enthusiasts are like this, which is great to help boost the cocktail culture.

Today, going to a bar invites you to a whole experience, from the design of the venue, to the staff, service and the beverages. It can be intimidating. What is your advice for patrons who want to enter this world? 
Go, just go lah! What is the worst that could happen? I can guarantee you that deep down every single bar and bartender just wants you to have the best experience you can. Some of them may not be able to convey that message to you in the way you’re used to but it is there. If you are really worried about being intimidated then just find a nice table (or bar stool) you’re comfortable with sit down and order a gin and tonic. I’m sure after two or three you’ll feel right at home. If it happens to be one of those intimidating bars that don’t serve gin and tonics you can totally walk out and leave, those bars won’t be worth your time.

What are the basic rules when ordering your first cocktail and the different steps to become a connoisseur? 
The menu. I think with a lot of new cocktail concepts and ideas popping up around the world people forget how awesome a menu really is. Most places will list the drinks they believe are delicious. They would have put a reasonable amount of effort into testing, trying and developing the drink menu. In addition to that they would prepare and organise their bar to be able to make these drinks every day. So, take a menu, find a spirit you know you like, make sure it matches with a flavour you enjoy, make sure the price is something within your budget (if you have to ask for the price, it is probably not your kind, or my kind, of bar) and sit back and wait for this delicious concoction. If you have questions, ask, once you’ve ordered there is no turning back, so if you’re not sure what Foie Gras fat washed Armagnac is, you’d better ask.

Singapore’s competitive F&B industry makes it a tough place to succeed. How can venues stand out from one another? And how can bartenders keep up with new techniques and trends?
There are many ways to stand out from the crowd. You can do this by putting all of your investment into the décor or you can put it all into your marketing campaign. You can spend lots of money hiring the best bartenders in the world paired with the best chefs in the world and buy the most expensive and well-made spirits and ingredients in the world but it does not mean you’ll be successful. And sometimes standing out from the crowd doesn’t lead to success. Best advice for this – make sure the product is good and you do it well every single time, it wouldn’t hurt to do it with a smile too.

As for keeping up with trends and techniques, our customers and their experiences would be the ones I use the most. They would come to me and tell me about their adventures overseas and the bars they have visited. They would also tell me about what they like (and sometimes dislike) and from there I would explore all the interesting things they tell me. Also the internet, guest bartenders and industry professionals who come through town also help.

How do you see the Singapore cocktail scene evolving in the next couple of years? Do you believe Singapore can still be at the forefront of the cocktail scene? What are the keys to carry on with this success?
I think you will see a drop in the number of bars and a drastic decrease in new openings. The good news about this is the ones that are left are ‘of quality’. That would be the major change in the scene over the next couple years.

I do believe that Singapore will still be at the forefront of the cocktail scene because the quality is just so high right now and the consistency is so good. Unless people stop visiting Singapore and the business situation drastically drops here, we’ll be kings of the hill for a small while yet.

When founding the Singapore Bar Awards (SGBA), you have created 2 separate categories, one for Best Male Bartender and the other one for Best Female Bartender, why is that? 
To be honest I would rather prefer to have just one category – Best Bartender. But this being a male-dominated ‘sport’ I wanted to help encourage and recognise any female bartenders with amazing talents. I know for sure that some of these fearless females can rock the bar much better than I can and I want the world to appreciate that. Hopefully by shining a light on both genders it would help to encourage more people of both genders to join and celebrate this industry.

What can we expect from the first Singapore Cocktail Week taking place this coming week? And what do you think are the benefits of having such an event (for consumers as well as industry insiders)?
You can expect delicious cocktails and a lot of fun. Cocktails are about having a good time and enjoying life. The Singapore Bar Awards has these values in mind. We’re about fun and enjoyment first and the awards and recognition comes with that.

The biggest benefit is that it’s bringing the community together, under the Singapore Bar Awards as well as under Cocktail Week. With the awards, the industry is coming together to tilt their hats to the people that they think are great talents in their own industry. As for the Cocktail Week, all the bars are coming together to celebrate one of the most joyous things about our industry – making drinks and making people happy.

 Céline Manoukian

Photo credit: Bar Awards