PRIDE OF the NATION
Three Indonesians are blazing a trail in the F&B scene outside of their home country. Eve Tedja discovers the recipes for their success.
co-founder of The Old Man Hong Kong & The Old Man Singapore
Currently number one on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 list, The Old Man Hong Kong was a passion project created by Agung Prabowo and his partners, James Tamang and Roman Ghale. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway and his legendary obsession for well-made potation, the intimate speakeasy opened in 2017 to positive reviews. With 20 years of bartending experience, Prabowo is redefining the bar experience.
How did an Indonesian bartender end up living and working in Hong Kong? I started my career in bartending when I was 18 years old and spent those early years working in bars before joining Mandarin Oriental Jakarta. Back then, becoming a bartender was a profession that was frowned upon but I persisted. In 2005, I assisted in the preopening of The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. That’s where I also met my The Old Man partners, James and Roman. We worked together for six years, went our separate ways, met each other again two and a half years ago, and decided to open a bar together after meeting for a drink.
What differentiates The Old Man from the other bars?
We have always wanted to create a bar that has an interesting story to tell. In this case, we were inspired by Ernest Hemingway. He’s not a role model, but the man knew his drinks and contributed a lot to the drinking culture. He invented the Hemingway Daiquiri in Havana and the Death in the Afternoon. The guy was obsessed! We named our cocktails after his books because when he wrote a particular book, he needed to get wasted. A Farewell to Arms basically got written because of martinis. We also realised that a bar is not just about good drinks or good design but the overall experience. Because of our background in hospitality, we want to create a five-star service in a casual and relaxed atmosphere where the staff and the guests can interact and have a good time. That’s why we designed the bar in the way that facilitate social interaction, with little barrier between the bartenders and the guests.
What about the drinks?
The art of mixology is strongly influenced by the gastronomy trend and that’s how it is developing right now. We call our drinks experimental cocktails because we are adapting culinary techniques and using laboratory equipment, such as the rotary evaporator to create different textures or flavours. The Old Man Hong Kong is currently serving Best of The Old Man Version 2, while the Singapore bar serves its first version. Version 2 offers more complexity and generally takes more time to prepare.
What do you think of Indonesia’s bar scene?
I see a lot of changes and improvements in the last three years, especially in Jakarta and
Bali. Despite the difficulties with imported alcohol provisions, Indonesian bartenders are truly becoming professional and creative.
A lot of bar owners are also willing to invest in good design. Crafted cocktails and local ingredients are taking centre stage. I’m happy that the bar scene is evolving and would like to see more Indonesian bartenders working abroad and making a career out of it. I was just a bartender who had an opportunity to move to Hong Kong and eventually, managed to own a bar. Work hard and never say never.