THE FIRST TO SELL COMMERCIAL CRAFT BEER IN VIETNAM

TIM SCOTT, FOUNDER OF QUAN UT UT AND BIACRAFT ARTISAN ALE; DEPUTY CEO OF RED WOK

Originally from Australia and celebrating his 20th year living in Vietnam this year, Tim is the founder of Quán Ụt Ụt which opened in 2014 and was the first to commercially sell craft beer in Vietnam and Biacraft Artisan Ales, the first to bring together different craft beers from around the country. Currently, Tim is the Deputy CEO of Red Wok which also operates Wrap & Roll and Lẩu Bò Sài Gòn Vi Vu. He’s been fortunate enough to have worked for some great companies in Vietnam, including Megastar Cineplex, The Hi-fi, and Hard Rock Café. His proudest achievement was making the international news for selling a commemorative kimchi infused beer called Kim Jong Ale for the Trump/kj Il summit in Hanoi.

WHO/WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR GETTING INTO THIS INDUSTRY AND WHY?

I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 15. I think the exhilaration of a dinner rush is addictive, and handling all the crazy things it throws at you on a nightly basis builds a kind of camaraderie with colleagues that’s hard to let go of. I’ve worked with many talented people who have inspired me which has kept me happily on my path. And as cliche as it sounds, it was after reading Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour in 2001 that I decided to come check out Vietnam.

CAN YOU NAME 3 UP-AND-COMING INDUSTRY FIGURES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN VIETNAM?

• The guys at Hoprizon are so incredibly passionate about the craft beer they make. You can see it exude from them in every conversation. I think they’re poised to become stronger and stronger, and represent the local Vietnamese craft community on the global stage.

• Mary Vu from Mad Wine Bar and Mad House is another young and talented leader. It seems almost strange to say she’s upand-coming as she’s such a well known face, but I believe she’s only at the very beginning of her career, and is bound to do even more amazing things.

• Lastly, I am constantly amazed at how brilliant the Kashew Cheese concept is. Lê Na and Toby have really nailed it. I think we can all hope they go far with this brand.

WHAT’S SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO THOSE LOOKING TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY?

The service industry is very tough. It takes so many different skill sets to pull off a smoothly operated restaurant. You really gotta have a deep passion for what you do - it has to keep you up at night and push you out of bed every morning. If you’re not jonesing for your next busy service, you won’t have the stamina to keep going. Be passionate. Be creative. Enjoy the ride.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WHAT’S YOUR HOPE AND VISION FOR VIETNAM’S F&B INDUSTRY?

I love everything about Vietnam’s F&B industry, from the cheap street stalls to the funky niche cafes and I sincerely hope none of it gets lost to modernisation and that those at the forefront of Vietnam’s culinary industry help to preserve this country’s rich and authentic street food culture. Simply, I’m hoping as many street food vendors make it through to the other side of the pandemic and for newcomers to continue to bring more new ideas to the table. This way, Vietnam will continue to be a mecca for international foodies.

QUAN UT UT – AMERICAN BBQ & BEER 168 Vo Van Kiet Street, District 1

47 Xuan Thuy Street, District 2

Website: quanutut.com

Facebook: quanutut

Operating hours: 11am - 11pm BIACRAFT ARTISAN ALES

1 Le Ngo Cat Street, District 3

90 Xuan Thuy Street, District 2

300 Truong Sa Street, Phu Nhuan District MM1 Truong Son Street, District 10 Website: biacraft.com

Facebook: biacraft

Operating hours: 11am - 11pm