THE COCKTAIL VISIONARY
When we think of BAI JIAWEI’s rise in the local bar scene, one word comes to mind: meteoric. But the Founder of White Shades and Stay Gold Flamingo remains focused on the craft.
It seemed like yesterday when Bai Jiawei was named the youngest principal bartender at Employees Only. His creativity behind the counter was part of the reason why Employees Only became such an established name.
It soon became clear, however, that Jiawei needed to strike out on his own, to establish his own brands, where his vision for cocktails and the bar experience can take root. This happened in 2021, when he teamed up with Jerrold Khoo to open Stay Gold Flamingo, a stylish bar and, more importantly, the first platform for Jiawei to truly exercise his skill and creativity as a bartender. It was here that Jiawei flourished. The year after it opened, Stay Gold Flamingo placed 32nd in Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
If anything, Jiawei is a perfectionist. We first met Jiawei at the media tasting for his new multistorey, multi-concept establishment, White Shades ̶ his second after Stay Gold Flamingo. He was introducing the themes of the menu to us, one in which cocktails are only listed by colours. Butter brown, for example, is a tropical delight consisting of Johnnie Walker Black, Banana,
Butter, Maple, and, in a playful twist, Maraschino Foam (rather than the actual cherry). Clear Red is a sizzling palate-opener, with Codigo Blanco Tequila, Paprika, Lime, Fire Water, and Smoked Cherry Wood Chips. We were dazzled by the sheer quality of the cocktails, but we were perhaps more impressed by Jiawei’s personable nature. He might have two successful bars under his belt but, at heart, he’s still here to help people enjoy themselves.
There is this sense of the people’s custodian about him ̶ that Jiawei’s leadership comes from his dedication and hard work, as well as his people-first, emotionally mature approach to things. When we asked him about what it means to be an August man, he replies: “Someone who’s able to take care of others, who’s there to support, to be available for them. He needs to be the moral and emotional support that every human being needs.”
Interestingly, it shows up when he’s had a little too much to drink. He becomes the life of the party, making sure ̶ in a non-pushy way ̶ that everyone is having a good time. It speaks volumes of why he got into the cocktail game.
Which got us to the most important question ̶ what is Bai Jiawei’s favourite cocktail?
He replies: “My favourite cocktail right now is the whisky highball. It’s simple, but the fewer ingredients, the harder it is to perfect it. It’s just whisky and soda ̶ I don’t include the zest, but I’m very particular about the carbonation, the amount of ice and temperature. It’s a drink that hydrates you, but also relaxes you, and tastes good.” Truly a perfectionist’s drink, but the kind that doesn’t put you off.