Master Mixologist: Weston Lou of HAKKASAN NYC

Weston Lou is the Head Bartender of Hakkasan, NYC. Weston joined Hakkasan Group in 2016 as Head Bartender for Hakkasan NYC, where he currently oversees the creative direction of the restaurant's world-class spirits program. Prior to joining Hakkasan NYC, he served as a bartender at Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

"Hakkasan is globally recognized as a leader of mixology in the restaurant industry," Weston said. "I am excited and honored to lead the beverage team at New York City with the same dedication, expertise, and authenticity for which our brand is known."

Following his appointment at Hakkasan NYC, Weston has been featured in top publications such as The Manual and bon appétit. His passion for honing his craft has also led to accolades such as his placement as a Finalist in the Miami regionals of Bombay Sapphire's Most Imaginative Bartender competition in 2016.

Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Weston Lou for our "Master Mixologist" feature.

When did you first become interested in the cocktail culture?

I first became interested in cocktail culture about 5 years ago, when I was in living in a small town in New Jersey. The neighborhood was surrounded by farms, and as a result, the local restaurant scene placed a heavy emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients.

The use of locally-sourced ingredients became more prevalent in the cocktail scene as well, and that sparked a change in my own personal philosophy as a mixologist. I was enamored with making my own ingredients and started to study bartending as a craft.

Prior to that, I had already been bartending for 4 years, but I was only concerned with producing drinks in high volume with artificial products. I was determined to make a change, so I began researching cocktail books and studying all the classics. At the time, I was still living in New Jersey, so I would trek out to the city to visit all the popular cocktail bars as a form of research.

What innovations in mixology and bartending do you find fascinating?

I have been paying attention to the rise of trendy ingredients in cocktails. Social media presence in the restaurant community is really strong, so cocktails that are "Instagrammable" are always seen as a plus. There are a lot of unconventional ingredients that not only add depth to flavor profiles, but create visually-interesting aesthetics. Lately, I am most drawn to the use of mushrooms in cocktails, as well as ingredients that add distinctive colors, such as charcoal powder, black sesame, matcha, and butterfly pea flower.

How do restaurant and bar guests encourage your creativity?

Guests are always encouraging my creative process. There are many guests who are cocktail experts who challenge me to spontaneously create tailored cocktails. Others are interested in mixology and like to provide input on a potential menu or test cocktail. I love engaging with our visitors, and the resulting dialogue is incredibly helpful when I'm going through "bartender's block," so to speak.

What are your preferred "classic cocktails" and why?

My preferred classic cocktail would be the Old Fashioned. It's a simple cocktail with very few ingredients, but I always find that it reveals a lot about the skill of the bartender and the quality of the bar program. I'm also been interested in "new classic" cocktails that were created in the last decade, and my favorite at the moment is the Trinidad Sour.

What are some of your favorite infusions and how you like to use them in drinks?

At the moment, I'm particularly interested in the use of teas and fats to flavor spirits. I'm very fortunate to be at a restaurant that has an extensive tea selection, and tea infusions are great because they're efficient and versatile. There are many varieties of tea that can pair well with different spirits, liquors, and vermouths. Using fats and oils is a bit more challenging and time-consuming, but the results are absolutely worth it. I've been experimenting with a few fat-washed infusions such as coconut oil-washed cachaça and a Peking duck fat-washed rye whiskey.

Tell us about a few of your signature cocktails and why they are distinctive.

Our cocktail menu features a combination of brand signatures originating from our London location, classic cocktails with modern twists, and cocktails that incorporate Asian ingredients. All are essentially designed to accommodate an array of tastes and, most importantly, pair well with the vibrant flavors found at Hakkasan New York. One of our most unique cocktails would be the Cantonese Pear, which uses China's national spirit-Baijiu-as its base, mixed with umeshu, spiced pear, passionfruit, and ginger ale. Another one is the Buddha's Palm, which is made with bourbon, falernum, yuzu, black grapes, mint, and balsamic vinegar.

Give us your perfect pairing for a cocktail and a culinary selection.

On our menu, one of my favorite cocktail pairings would be our Blood and Sand cocktail with our signature dish, the stir-fry black pepper rib-eye beef with Merlot. Our variation of a classic Blood and Sand is made with Macallan 12yr, Cherry Heering, Carpano Antica, umeshu, blood orange. The bold notes of this cocktail are enhanced through hickory smoke and really complement the savory and spicy flavors in our stir-fry black pepper rib-eye with Merlot.

Tell us a little about your company or restaurant.

Hakkasan originated in London at Hanway Place in 2001, and has since expanded to eleven other locations throughout the world. Like the original London location, Hakkasan New York offers a distinctively modern take on Cantonese fine-dining, with sensory dining experience that features a world-class wine selection and modern mixology program, all in chic setting.

Hakkasan New York is open for lunch and dinner. They also have a sleek, stylish cocktail lounge perfect for drinks and small plates anytime. The restaurant is located at 311 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036. Call them at 212.776.1818 or visit their web site at http://hakkasan.com/locations/hakkasan-new-york/. You can also make reservations at reservations@hakkasannyc.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Hakkasan NYC

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