What are some of the zero-waste initiatives you have at Zest?

It’s quite hard, actually, to make the cocktail with this philosophy, but we try to reduce our waste to work toward sustainability. For example, we make all of our carbonated drinks like cola, tonic water, and kombucha, so we don’t make any waste from aluminium cans, plastic, or paper. We also work with a contract farm—we have only one farmer, he grows the herbs and flowers for us, and we go to the farm to handpick [the ingredients] ourselves so we can quality check and we don’t [contribute to] packaging waste.

You mentioned in a previous interview that climate change has really changed the availability of ingredients. How has that changed or affected your menu?

The environmental changes happen so quickly. There are actually four seasons in Korea, and we make seasonal gin and tonics called Z and T, but we have to change the gin every season—we make the gin with seasonal fruits and herbs. But the seasons are not always the same [in length]. For example, autumn is too short [laughs]! We want to make autumn gin for, four months, but now it’s almost like two months only. But we have to change [the gin], because we cannot find the seasonal ingredients anymore.

See also: The best non-alcoholic drinks for hangover-free imbibing

What’s been the most fun ingredient to work with where you could develop it in so many ways?

To give one example, we use local mandarin from Jeju Island called hallabong. We make our spring gin with hallbong, with the peel. We then infuse the pulps for the Garibaldi, which is made with Campari and oranges. Then we make the pickle with the remaining pulp after, so we don’t make any waste from the mandarin. In summer, we use chamoe, which is Korean melon. The peel we use for the garnish as well, and also we distil the gin with the chamoe, and pickle the leftover chamoe for our Gibson. So, in every different season, we use Korean ingredients. In autumn, we use Korean apples, and in winter, we use Korean strawberries.

Do you think consumers understand what you’re trying to do at Zest? Does the concept resonate with them?

Before opening Zest, we were very afraid [about that]. We’d have to say we are making a cocktail with waste, and people might [have thought] What? I have to pay for that? But we realise now everyone is more focused on sustainability, and they totally can understand our concept. Nowadays, so many people are working for sustainability too, in other countries. For example, big companies have their own departments for sustainability. Sometimes they come to Zest and they share ideas with us like Oh, we want to change this to be like this. [Laughs] So we are exchanging ideas of sustainability with customers as well. 

Related: Jigger and Pony: How a hospitality-first mindset made this Singapore bar one of the world’s best

Congratulations on winning the highest climber award! What would you say was the secret to such a big jump? Did you change anything or focus on anything in particular? 

Thank you so much. We think there are two reasons. We opened Zest during the pandemic. Many foreign customers couldn’t visit—they knew we opened the bar, but they couldn’t come. After the pandemic, all the foreigners came to Korea and visited Zest. Also, we think we made it onto the list very early (after just one year) because our business was great during the pandemic. We opened in the daytime. Most bars in Korea are located in the basement, but luckily we opened a bar on the first floor, so it was very useful. We wanted to change the drinking culture, because before there was no top bar where you could order a cocktail in the daytime. Now, you can come to Zest for a drink before dinner since our area has a lot of fine dining restaurants. Many foreign customers and tourists don’t have time to waste, so they can come to us before dinner or after, then visit other bars.

What would you say is the most important part of the business? The drinks, the menu, the service, the interiors?

After opening Zest, we realised it’s branding. Branding means the place, the bar, the drinks, the people— it has to have a story. That’s branding. Why we are working here, why we decided to go with these interiors, why we are making this cocktail, why we are using these ingredients, everything is branding. At Zest, sustainability comes together in all the elements—not just when it comes to using ingredients, but people as well. We get a lot of good motivations, not just financially but also for example, compared to different bars, we have more days off, and we are paid overtime. So people are part of it. Sustainability is not only for the environment, we also want to grow together with the team.

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On the 17th of October 2023, over 1000 luminaries behind the world’s greatest bars gathered in Singapore for the awarding of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023. That morning, hours before the big reveal, select media outlets were invited to an exclusive Meet the Bartenders roundtable interview session—the very first of its kind. Tatler Philippines was granted the unique and valuable opportunity to pick the brains of these industry leaders as the only Philippine publication in attendance.

Tatler Philippines travelled to Singapore with the Singapore Tourism Board. To learn more, check out @visit_singapore on Instagram, #visitsingapore  #passionmadepossible.