Name: Elson Cheng

Venue: Anh and Chi

1. If you had to describe your bartending style using a style of music in comparison, what would it be?

My style of bartending is probably most similar to noir jazz — I like to take a minimalist approach with my bartending and step away from the lights, intensity, and flair to fully appreciate what the ingredients bring to the table independently as well as the final sum of their parts.

2. We ask you to create a cocktail called MADE WITH LOVE, what’s in it?

I’d probably do something in the style of a Ramos Gin Fizz with some nice local Vancouver ingredients — Ramos Gin Fizzes are a labor of love and using local ingredients helps showcase the love I have for my hometown. I’d like to use some good Vancouver-made gin, fresh lemon, BC honey, some nice light or floral bitters from any of our wonderful Vancouver-based bitters companies, and egg white in the base, shake the crap out of it and top it with a nice local pilsner or Saison beer.

3. Besides bartending, do you practice another art form / do you have another passion?

I play music sometimes and I’m big into movies, cooking, and building Lego sets.

4. You have the choice to invite anybody you wish to sit at your bar, (fictional, dead or alive) who would it be?

I’d love to have Ernest Hemingway sit down at my bar just so I can finally figure out what the hell the story behind the Hemingway Daiquiri is. Or maybe Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford — I’m a huge Star Wars nut so having the big three (Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo) sit across from me would probably send me to nerd heaven.

5. Which cocktail would you serve to your lover? And which one would you serve to your ex?

A classic daiquiri for the lover with the perfect harmony and balance of the ingredients reflecting our relationship, and simple syrup for an ex so they can get over their saltiness.