Behind the Bar with…Audrey Eschemann

Alsace-born Audrey Eschemann has cleaved her way through a slew of competitions since her first foray behind the bar. Placing second in the L’Angostura Global Challenge in France in 2014, she was also the France finalist at the 2014 Domaine de Canton Bartender of the Year and semifinalist at Bacardi Legacy 2015 in Argentina. Eschemann also won the prestigious Marie Brizard Masters competition in Hong Kong last year. After working in the W Hotel and famed Les Bains in Paris, and the Verne Club in Buenos Aires, she moved to Hong Kong in June 2015 and joined Neo Cocktail Club and then Aberdeen Street Social as bar manager. Eschemann now heads up the bar operations at Lee Lo Mei and talks to dbHK about drinking daiquiris in the Philippines and working as a woman in a male-dominated world.

What led you to be behind the bar?

It was when I did a mixology course and something in my mind just switched. I was always thinking I would be a chef like my father but he said he didn’t want me to be involved with the industry and so I studied to be a teacher, had nearly eight years of education and then suffered massive burnout. My friend gave me a gift card for a one hour in the kitchen and one hour mixology lesson and I discovered I had this huge passion for making cocktails.

Which spirit ignited your passion?

I love whisky. All the processes that go on behind the scenes with the master distillers who find the perfect blend of aromas and flavours fascinate me. It’s a painstaking process and I love the complexity of blends, Scotch, Bourbon. They are all different and hardly any other spirits offer this kind of variety. My palate changed as I grew up and learned to detect different expressions of whisky. Whisky is like women – so complex but so easy at the same time. My absolute favourite is Hudson Baby Bourbon, it’s strong but with lovely flavours of popcorn and caramel.

What are the best and worst things about the industry?

The best and the worst aspects can be the same thing. You work long hours. You work harder because you’re a woman. You don’t have a social life. But once you find a balance, all these things make you a stronger, smarter person. As bartenders we take care of people, we are listeners. We meet amazing people every day and each person presents stories and lives.

Expectations are so much higher when you’re a woman working in the bar industry as there’s a perception that we just can’t do it. Actually we have better palates and can taste more.

If you had to be a particular cocktail or spirit which one would you be?

I’d be an Old Fashioned. It’s so good and so simple with few ingredients. I’m also quite old fashioned myself.

Lime or lemon?

Lime. I like lemon but it’s sweet. Lime gives balance. You can survive in the bar without lemon juice but you can’t without lime juice.

Complete this sentence: the last time I drank, I….

I drank three beers with my staff and then had a massive hangover. I can’t drink as much as I used to.

What are your favourite seasonal cocktails?

I love mulled wine. I grew up in Alsace and so the smell of mulled wine, chestnuts and mandarin remind me of my childhood.

Where is your favourite place in Asia for cocktails?

Japan has an amazing industry for cocktails and Hong Kong is definitely getting there. But I have to say nothing beats a simple daiquiri on the beach in the Philippines. It’s not always about being the best or most creative bartender; sometimes a straightforward pina colada on holiday makes me happy.

Name one cocktail trend which is hot in Asia right now

It’s not about cocktails exactly but there’s been a big increase in locals here in Hong Kong becoming bartenders. They’re so young and yet so talented and it’s great to see so many making a name for themselves now.

Please share one of your favourite recipes:

Royal Flush – I made this for Aberdeen Street Social.

45 ml Chivas 12 Year Old
20 ml Pimms Summer Cup
15 ml red wine reduction and then you smoke the bottle with cinnamon which completely changes and evolves all the aromas in the bottle.

The red wine reduction is also a great way to use up corked wine in your house!