Hi Vũ Ngọc! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview with us!

You’ve been behind the bar since 2013, and more recently have been appointed as an ambassador for Beam Suntory, an illustrious brand to say the least! This was on the back of you having gone on multiple major tours and taking home the crown for Diageo’s World Class Competition! You’re certainly plugged in to the heart of Vietnam’s drinks scene and have started multiple of your own concepts from Doozy to Enigma and ASMR.

We’re definitely excited to find out more from you about yourself, your journey thus far, your deep passion for harnessing Vietnam’s local ingredients, as well as how Vietnam’s drinks scene is developing!

So, let’s get started!

Follow Vu Ngoc (Will) for more: Instagram | Enigma Bar

88B: You first started as a bartender in 2013 after having worked as a waiter at a bar during your university years, where you got to see bartenders create some really colourful cocktails.

Could you tell us alittle bit more about yourself and what was the moment where you thought to yourself “I really want to be a bartender”, and how did you go about getting your first job and what did you do to prepare for it? Did your background in studying marketing help?

VN: My name is Vu Ngoc (Will), and I am the newest addition to the Beam Suntory Vietnam team as a Brand Ambassador. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I hope to bring a wealth of knowledge and passion for cocktails and premium spirits to the role.

Will has spent more than ten years in the drinks business but treats everyday as a new chance to learn more and share his experiences. 

Starting my career as a bar back in a small pub where we serving a lot of cocktail for expats, I quickly realized my love for mixology and spirits, and began exploring the world of craft cocktails. After several years of honing my craft, I moved into a role as a spirits educator, where I established myself as a sought-after speaker and demonstrator.

Throughout my career, I have worked closely with a variety of premium spirits brands, developing a deep understanding of the craft and artistry that goes into creating each unique spirit. With a particular focus on whisky, I have become a respected expert in the industry, known for my ability to identify and appreciate the subtleties of flavor in each glass.

88B: You’ve mentioned that a big source of inspiration for you has been the local ingredients that are unique to Vietnam and the ability to bring them to cocktails. You’ve gone as far as foraging your own ingredients and have also worked with several local spirit makers such as Song Cai to bring your cocktails to life.

What are some of your favorite go-to local ingredients and what are some local ingredients that you find are incredibly underrated? What is a local Vietnamese ingredient that more people should know about?

VN: Normally I love to try [recipes] with some tropical flavors from the South and spices from the North, as we know Vietnam is a tropical country with four seasons in the North and two seasons in the South.

Some ingredients that are incredibly underrated in Vietnam are some of the spices in the Northside. After 2 years of staying here and exploring the capital, I realize that spices in the North are really different from the others, and are really unique. On the Southside, we have coconuts, potatoes and sugarcane - very simple ingredients that we can find anywhere and anytime, but so far in Vietnam we have too many types of coconuts in the Southside region! Also unique are some of the potatoes. And we also have a delicious sugarcane juice.

Sarsi cocktail which uses uniquely Vietnam-sourced ingredients such as Phu Quoc peppers and Da Lak Sarsi wood.

"... as we know Vietnam is a tropical country with four seasons in the North and two seasons in the South."

A local ingredients here that more people should know about are some of the foraged flowers and fruits from the North like from Ha Giang and Cao Bang, where we have a unique pomelo flower; or from the Southside, we have a basil flower, cinnamon flowers and also a unique honey from the Highlands as well.

88B: As a result of your passion for local ingredients, whilst on a race in Pleiku, you got to learn of wild honey harvested in Central Vietnam’s highlands and the incredibly difficult journey to harvesting it. This became the inspiration for your project BEE GROWN UP.

Could you tell us alittle more about the process of the highlanders harvesting the honey that really struck a chord with you and inspired you so deeply to take on the project? 

A running competition in the highlands of Pleiku opened Will's eyes to foraged honey.

VN: Unlike farm-raised honey, wild/foraged honey here is harvested by highlanders in the forest. They have to spend a lot of time and even risk their life inside the forest to extract the fragrant and fresh honey possessing typical characteristics of the forest which has a uniquely delicious taste, with amazing health benefits, and is slightly floral, but also rich and full-bodied.

March is the season when bees go to collect honey in the warm weather, during which trees sprout, and flowers bloom. According to the experience of beekeepers, although the time to harvest honey actually lasts all year round, March is still the time to harvest the most of it and produces the most delicious honey.

"... a farmer in the highland will spend a whole day in the jungle to harvest this wild honey... and they don’t have very modern equipment for doing that, just simple ones.

I had done this project to support our local people in the highlands, to help create more income with their high quality products and also to introduce our local products to more people."

So normally a farmer in the highland will spend a whole day in the jungle to harvest this wild honey. Almost all farmers here are very poor, and so they don’t have very modern equipment for doing that, just simple ones.

I had done this project to support our local people in the highlands, to help create more income with their high quality products and also to introduce our local products to more people.

88B: You’ve also said that a trip to Shanghai really opened your eyes and has been a huge source of inspiration for you. 

Could you tell us alittle bit more about your time in Shanghai and what it was that was so incredibly formative for you?

VN: I was there for a [bartending] competition and also to do a guest shift at Bird Of Paradise with the legendary Yao Lu. He shared with me a lot of his experience, and showed me [so much] as one of the biggest in the industry here [Shanghai].

A bar veteran - Yao Lu. (Image Source: Drinks Magazine)

I was jawdropped by Sober Company which had three concepts in one building. They work really hard to give a new experience to the guest and also showed the greatest hospitality.

88B: You’re also an avid runner, what is about running that you enjoy so much? Do you have any tips for us when you hit that “runner’s wall” and how you get yourself to keep pushing on?

Has any lessons you’ve taken from your running translated to your work behind the bar? What motivates you to keep on going through the peaks and valleys?

VN: I like running as there is no limit to the goal, like in our [drinks] industry. Also it's good for supporting our health and life - while you are running you can refresh your mind after a long day of working. 

If you want to participate in this sport, please just start! Just go step by step, going from a slow pace to a quicker one. When you exercise regularly, your body and mind will benefit.

"I like running as there is no limit to the goal, like in our [drinks] industry." 

88B: Aside from running across the highlands of Central Vietnam, you’re often in the lab, experimenting and testing different ingredients and methods. Do you have some favorite music to listen to that gets you in the right mood?

What’s a local ingredient that you’re currently working on?

VN: I always like Hip Hop and R&B music - my favourite song was "Humble" by Kendrick Lamar and "Sold Out" by Hawk Nelson.

I'm currently working on some local plant-based ingredients and looking for a new menu that will be launching in August [2023].

88B: Now going back to your cocktail making, you’re known for being incredibly inventive with your cocktails and also splashing in a mix of local ingredients and also youthful energy!

Could you take us through your creative process when you’re coming up with a new cocktail? What’s a cocktail you’re particularly proud of?

VN: For me creativity is everywhere and at every time. It can come from a normal breakfast or just a local drink during breaks in the day. As we know, Vietnamese cuisine is huge so we can try flavors from them; why not bring a [flavour of the] local cuisine to a cocktail?

Actually I don’t have a specific cocktail that I'm proud of as I'm always proud of all the things that I've made in a right way.

"PANNA DAISY: Panna Daisy sonic / Song Cai Dry Gin / Oloroso Sherry / Cantaloupe Champagne / Sesame / Ô Mai Salt - This one began with Gin and Champagne as we all know French 75 ❤️"

"Vietnamese cuisine is huge so we can try out flavors from them; why not bring a [flavour of the] local cuisine to a cocktail."

88B: You’re also a particularly big fan of using a sonic process to extract flavors. Could you tell us alittle bit more about how you first encountered this process and also how the process works?

What does it do to various ingredients and what has been the most surprising ingredient that has worked well with the sonic process?

VN: Only with liquid (or largely liquid) materials would ultrasonic homogenizers be used to homogenize samples, lyse cells, reduce particle size, extract biological material, refine chemical processes, and more

Basically, an ultrasonic homogenizer has a tip which very rapidly vibrates, causing bubbles in the surrounding solution to rapidly form and collapse. This creates shock waves which tear apart cells and particles.

Normally I'm just using the technique for the hard ingredients like wood, nuts and some spices. The ingredient that have worked the best with the sonic process is oil; we can blend an oil and liquid together and make them assimilate as one, which is called the emulsifying process.

At the World Class finals.

88B: Having spent quite a fair bit of time touring as part of the World Class Competition, you must have had some incredibly memorable times and have learnt some deep lessons. 

Could you share with us a particularly memorable moment during the competition and what were some of the biggest lessons you learnt from it?

VN: One of the most memorable moment for me in the World Class competition was the moment that I took the trophies from winning the challenges, as well as the champion's trophy - I didn't expect at the time that I could take it all.

My biggest lesson learnt from the World Class is to be well prepared before going for any competition, even any bar shift, or even when you are planning to do anything. Planning is the most important thing that you need to manage well before you start working on the process.

88B: Now going to one of your recent projects – Enigma, which has been a big success, having won Bar of the Year (congratulations!), what was the inspiration behind it and how did you make sure the bar stood out or did things differently from other bars?

Could you share with us what are your secret recipes for success in the drinks industry? What would you tell an aspiring bartender?

VN: My inspiration for Enigma was simple - I just wanted to do something different from the others.

While doing the research for six months before we started this project, I realised that almost every bar in Ho Chi Minh city were more focused on the old and classic style, so I decided to go the other way – to create a modern one.

The other bars were going with a yellow and warm lighting - I'm going the other way: green and red [lighting].

The other bars focused on classic cocktails - I'm going with modern and contemporary.

The other bars wanted to do a chill and relaxing vibe - I'm going with a more fun vibe and a more comfortable atmosphere. 

"I will tell them directly: Don’t ever underestimate yourself, you don’t have to try to be anyone else, just be yourself and go after your goals."

For me, firstly we need to be humble and just "be yourself"; our drinks industry is always open with new people so we need to be a right way to be an inspiration for them. I will tell them directly: Don’t ever underestimate yourself, you don’t have to try to be anyone else, just be yourself and go after your goals.

Hanoi brings new adventures for Will. (Image Source: The Independent)

88B: Nonetheless, your success came as a result of your move from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi, what was it about Hanoi that motivated you to move across the country? 

We really want to go to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh and would love if you could give us some recommendations on where to find various local specialties.

VN: Hanoi is more quiet than Ho Chi Minh city, also the local food in Hanoi has a different taste from HCMC as well. As we know the taste of the North is more light, while the taste of the middle-region is more salty and the South is more savoury.

Here are my recommendations for some food in Hanoi and HCMC:

Food in Ha Noi

Bánh cuốn - 49 hàng điếu

Phở trộn - phở nguyệt phủ doãn

Bún ốc - 11a lê duẩn

Phở bò - phở khôi hói hàng vải / phở lâm

Miến lươn - mai hắc đế / tô hiến thành

Bánh rán ngọt / mặn - phố hàng chiếu

Bánh mì thịt xiên - phủ đề

Xôi xéo - ngã tư hàng bài / lý thường kiệt

Bánh giò - thuỵ khuê

Bún cá chấm - ngã tư nguyễn thái học / lê duẩn

Bún bò giò heo - 69 võ thị sáu

Bánh cuốn - 68 hàng cót

phở gà số 15 hàng hòm

phở gà ở 312 ngõ văn chương

Phở Lý Quốc Sư 27 Phùng Hưng

Phở lõi bò Gầm Cầu

Phở bò Lý Béo Hàng Nón

Bún riêu trứng vịt lộn 14 Hàng Lược

Bún chả the best - ngõ chợ đồng xuân - hằng nga 0936759390

Perhaps the best Banh Mi. (Image Source: Vietnam Net)

Food in Ho Chi Minh City

Phở hà - 19 Hai Trieu

Banh mi Huynh Hoa

Bun bo dong ba - 207 Nguyen Van Thu

Hu Tieu Nam Vang Thanh Dat - 34 co bac

Quan Bui bistro - Vietnamese restaurant

Cuc gach quan - Vietnamese restaurant

Bo La Lot – Co Bac Street

Pho Hoa – 260c Pasteur street

Xôi gà chợ Bà Chiểu: 318/1 Bùi Hữu Nghĩa, phường 1, quận Bình Thạnh

Ốc Vũ: Số 37 Vĩnh Khánh, phường 8, quận 4

Bánh canh cua, giò heo: 181/6 Xóm Chiếu, phường 16, quận 4

Bún Cô Trinh: 116 Vườn Chuối, phường  4, quận 3

Lẩu đuôi bò A Tài: Hẻm 372 Cách Mạng Tháng 8, phường 10, quận 3

Quán lẩu dê Sài gòn: 105 Trương Định, phường 6, quận 3

Lẩu cá kèo Nguyễn Thị Diệu: Số 4 Nguyễn Thị Diệu, phường 6, quận 3

Bosgaros Coffee shop

The Workshop Coffee shop

Cộng Cà phê

88B: On being newly appointed as the Beam Suntory Ambassador, you’re the go-to guy for a pulse on what’s happening in Vietnam’s drinks scene. Could you tell us more about how the drinks scene has changed over the last 5 years?

Also, what are some of the most positive things you’re seeing about the drinks scene in Vietnam that you’re most happy about?

VN: The drinks scene here is growing up more than before. 5 years ago people still didn't know a lot of the classic cocktails, but today people are more willing to try a new classic cocktail or even love to drink an old fashioned or negroni cocktail, even more so than a signature one.

Before they preferred to have beers and some food with friends, but now they are willing to have a cocktail after work with some snacks at the bar before going home after a long day.

"A cocktail made from Gooseberry fruit from Da Lat, aged with vinegar and honey for 30 days"

One of the most positive things that I can see happening here is that bartenders and some of the bars are "growing up" and are more willing to learn new things.

88B: How do you think the Vietnamese drinks scene and taste differs from the other countries you’ve toured? 

What categories of spirits do you think the local Vietnamese people will come to enjoy most over time? Perhaps Bourbon or Scotch, maybe Vodka, Gin or even Japanese Whiskies.

VN: The Vietnamese drinks scene and taste is still growing up but the thing most different that I can see from my country as compared with others is the flavour layering and experiences from our cuisine. Our country is doing really great with that one.

Preparation is key - Lacto Strawberry, Coconut Straw Garum, Coffee Garum

[I think] local people here will enjoy whisky most with time.

"The Vietnamese drinks scene and taste is still growing up but the thing most different that I can see from my country as compared with others is the flavour layering and experiences from our cuisine."

88B: As a top-notch bartender, what’s your biggest hack to creating a great tasting drink? 

Could you share with us a simple recipe for really good tasting drink with some local Vietnamese flavours that anyone could create at home?

VN: I can say milk punch is a hack, its can be balanced with any ingredient for tasty drinks.

Here's a simple recipe that we can make at home with interesting ingredients: 

• Dark Rum 50ml
• Beetroot Juice 20ml
• Coconut Syrup 10ml
• Lemon Juice 20
• Orange Blossom Water 2 drop

Shake it with ice and enjoy it!

The Ha Giang province. (Image Source: Tron Le)

88B: Lastly, if a good friend of yours was coming to Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi for a weekend, where would you recommend them to visit? eg. attractions, sights, museums, restaurants, etc.

VN: Here is my recommendation for some great places that you can explore more of Vietnam as a beautiful country: 

Hanoi – A place must go is Hoan Kiem Lake, Dong Xuan Market, Ho Tay. Take a chance at going to the Ha Giang province, top north of Viet Nam, you can explore the living of the local people here and also some greatest food like Thang Co. For a bar you must visit The Haflington, Use bar and Ne cocktail bar, for restaurants you can try Gia restaurant, Ngoam.

Saigon – Walking Street, Central Post Office, the Independence Palace, A-O show, Saigon Opera house. For more than Saigon, you can explore the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi tunnel, the food in the Mekong Delta is incredible for the South. For bars, you must visit Hybrid Saigon, Stir and Enigma (haha!), for restaurants you can try Mua Sake, Quan Bui, Cuc Gach Quan and Esta Eatery for more experiences!

88B: Thank you Will, once again for doing this interview with us! We’re extremely delighted to have our readers across the region get to know more about you, your journey thus far and more on Vietnam’s drinks scene!

Images courtesy of Ngoc Vu.

Follow Vu Ngoc (Will) for more: Instagram | Enigma Bar

@LotusRoot518