The Bartender Competition 2024 in Shanghai: cognac in cocktails

In the world of Cognac, the bartender is not only the heir to a know-how, he is also the craftsman of innovation, the one who reveals the most beautiful facets of Cognac. This year, we had the honour of witnessing an incredible competition based around Cognac in cocktails, bringing together Chinese barmen including mixologist Jiyun Chen from the Meeting Jazz Club in Shenzhen.

He was crowned the winner of this competition, the Bartender Competition 2024, thanks to his exceptional skills and deep understanding of Cognac culture.

What is the Bartender Competition 

The Bartender Competition 2024 is a bartending competition organised by the BNIC in Shanghai, in partnership with several Cognac brands, bringing together five talented bartenders who are leading figures in mixology in China. Selected at the Bartender Challenges in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, they competed in front of a panel of renowned professionals and a well-informed public to present innovative cocktails that showcase the expertise of Cognac.

“Jiyun Chen, winner of the Bartender Competition 2024” Photo: ©Chu Yining

Interview with the competition winner: Jiyun Chen 

Find out in this interview what inspired Jiyun to create unforgettable Cognac cocktails, a blend of tradition and modernity.

« The cock and the dragon » Photo : ©Chu Yining

« The mushroom forest » Photo : ©Chu Yining

Why did you become a barman and what inspired your passion for mixology?

I first became interested in the mixology profession when I visited a bar for the first time. Being able to use my imagination to make cocktails without any other constraints, from preparing quality drinks to serving customers, and doing so with passion, is something very satisfying for me. Making sure that every customer has a good time is where my passion for mixology comes from.

Are you satisfied with your performance in this competition? Did you give it your best shot? 

I really enjoyed the competition and I’m very grateful to the organisers for their work! However, I personally think I can still improve, and I hope I’ll be even better at the next edition!

What would you like to experiment with Cognac mixology?

I’d like to innovate in Cognac mixology by combining Cognac’s terroir and the types of oak barrels used for ageing with local Chinese ingredients, and make more alliances between food and Cognac.

Photo: ©Chu Yining

What were your main challenges during the bartending competition? 

As I flew from Shenzhen to Shanghai for the competition, I was very worried that I wouldn’t have all the ingredients with me or that they would be damaged during the journey, but fortunately that didn’t happen, and the biggest challenge was overcoming my nervousness before going on stage.

Yunnan mushrooms in your recipe: where did the inspiration come from? 

My inspiration came from Yunnan, where everyone loves to eat mushrooms. There are several ethnic groups in Yunnan, but they share a common gastronomic culture, which is that they all like to eat mushrooms. Yunnan is the province with the largest number of different ethnic groups in China. Of the 56 ethnic groups in China, Yunnan has 52. It is the most culturally diverse place in the country. Yunnan is rich in natural resources. That’s what inspired me, that’s why my ingredients and my containers are all drawn from nature.

How did you choose your ingredients and why? 

The homemade ingredients for this competition required special techniques, such as the chicken-flavoured distillate, which was made using a rotary distiller. It has the aroma of chicken, which is very special. The mushroom-flavoured spirit was made using the technique of frying in butter and then washing in oil, which added a thick, sweet feel and mushroom aroma to the whole cocktail.

We would like to thank Jiyun Chen for his feedback and congratulate him again on this fine performance at the Bartender Competition 2024. His many inspirations, his understanding of Cognac culture, his infinite passion for art and his innovative spirit make him a new ambassador for Cognac in the world. We are counting on him to continue to make Cognac shine in China, with ever more astonishing creations. Who knows whether he will set a new trend in the art of mixology? To be continued…