Supernova Asia Final 2025: Vietnam Champion

What was your journey to becoming a bartender?
I started as a waiter at a party restaurant in late 2016, I was at school and worked at the same time. Then I became a chef for a Thai & Japanese restaurant in 2017. I worked as a chef for six months, and finally, got a chance to interview for a bartender position. I have loved bartending ever since.

Do you remember your first guest shifts?
My first guest shift in Vietnam was at Layla Eatery & Bar in June 2024. My first international one was at AER Mumbai Four Seasons Hotel in India, in September the same year.

Tell us about your Super Nova creation, for this year’s Atlas theme
I want to share my perspective on sustainability and how to protect the environment. For me, sustainability and environmental protection are not a trend. It is our responsibility in general and for drinking in particular.

Sustainability is not only about protecting the environment, reducing waste, and being sustainable, but also creating value for society. Pernod Ricard has been doing that well, and this is also why I joined the competition and am lucky to have won this battle.

I think my cocktails weren't the best, but I believe the story I shared about local ingredients, sustainability, and environmental protection inspired the judges and everyone.

What moment shifted the trajectory of your career?

The first moment that changed me was to realise I love this bartending profession. That was in 2018. I started my career from zero and was lucky to have colleagues and managers who supported me in the process of working and developing.

The second solution was when I started working at 2 Lamson Bar Park Hyatt Saigon. This is my second home.

The bartender you most admire?
I have many bartenders I admire such as Simon Bramayer, Nick Wu, Giacomo Giannotti, Colin Chia, Bastien Ciocca, Yangdup Lama, Monica Berg, Kim Do, Remy Savage, Nico De Soto, Jean Trinh, and many more. These are some of my biggest idols up to now. Alexander Shtifanov is also a person I greatly admire.

What’s a local ingredient you love to use?
Red jackfruit from Ben Tre city, my hometown. It has a fragrant aroma, moderate sweetness, and a little sour taste.

Mac Khen is like pepper but depending on location will be especially fragrant and moderately spicy. It’s very popular in the highlands of Vietnam, especially the northwest.

What is your secret sauce for excelling at bartending?
Constantly learning, experimenting, and experiencing new ingredients, skills, places, and bars around the world, and especially meeting talented bartenders around the world.

Here are 3 of my favorite slogans:

Learning is the eye of the mind.

Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.

A bartender is not only a person who mixes drinks but also a friend and guide who takes you to taste experiences.

What bold flavors excite you most right now?
A cup of tea, I mean Tequila and soda/ ALTOS

What innovative technique do you love to use?
These are my three favourite techniques: clarification, sous-vide, fat-washing.

Which bar in your home country would you love to visit?
The Hafflington, Hanoi.

Your favorite drink to make, and why?
My favorite cocktail is the Old Fashioned, because it was the first strong cocktail I ever had and the first cocktail I ever made when I started bartending. It's very basic, just whisky, sugar, bitters, and an orange twist. But it's hard to balance the dilution of the ice and the coldness. I still love it to this day.