A former Indonesian Diageo World Class winner, Ayip Muhammad Dzuhri is a household name in the Indonesian bartending world. Known for his daring style of mixology, he currently works as the operations manager of Frestro & Bar in Seminyak, Bali. Graduating as a food & beverage management student from Bandung in 2012, because of his love of cooking, he initially had aspirations to become a chef. However, due to certain difficulties, Ayip eventually decided to begin his career as a barista in a small coffeeshop in Bali. It wasn’t till he made a move to Sofitel in Nusa Dua, that he finally found his calling behind the bar.
Ayip made his name as a mixologist in 2015, where in his first bartending competition, he entered the Indonesian round of the Diageo World Class. However, it was his his bravery and ingenuity during the national rounds that turned heads. Deciding to go against the grain of other competitors, he took a gastronomical route, using unusual ingredients like beef stock in his cocktails. It was his cocktail combination of a cilantro margarita paired with oysters that won him the competition in Indonesia. His knowledge in gastronomy and food pairings set him apart from the rest of the competition thus cementing his reputation.
After his very early success in the competition, Ayip used his platform and recognition as a mixologist to educate local bartenders and the community about the industry. Setting up a company called Astrajingga, he holds regular workshops and seminars about cocktails and the art of mixology. He also makes an effort to focus on local ingredients and raise the standards of bartending in the country. Cool and calm behind the bar, you can easily find the maestro of Frestro working on new, innovative concoctions a the restaurant.
Tales of A Honje
Torched Ginger
Pineapple Juice
Campari
Honey
Lime Juice
His drink, the Tales of a Honje is a sip of the most unfamiliar. Served in a wooden cup shaped like a seed, the cocktail was designed to elevate the star ingredient, the torched ginger. However the cocktail paired with the scent of freshly charred brown sugar as a garnish round up a surprisingly perfect concoction.
Read the original article in Foodies Magazine Issue 02 August/September 2018
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