Hiroyasu Kayama is not just Japan’s greatest bartender and mixologist but also a YouTube sensation. Set in the captivating backdrop of what appears to be an eighteen-century alchemy shop, Kayama crafts an enchanting experience reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s magical world in the bartending industry. His artistry has garnered millions of views online.
Kayama’s venture Bar BenFiddich in Tokyo has occupied the fourth position in Asia’s 50 Best Bars List for quite some time now. Kayama who was recently in Bengaluru for a bar takeover as part of the ZLB23 at the Leela Palace, spoke to Metro Plus about Bar BenFiddich and his love for Indian spices.
Kayama started his bartending journey when he was 20 years-old out of sheer coincidence, “I was looking for a job at a hotel and I got placed at the bar. By 26, I became the head bartender and that’s how it all happened gradually.” After gaining considerable knowledge in bartending and mixology, Kayama opened his own place, Bar BenFiddich in 2013 in Tokyo.
The BenFiddich experience combines the motifs of a classic Tokyo bar with the feel of a makeshift moonshine operation (homemade spirits, wormwood, ancient herbal elixirs). Most drinks are curated by Kayama himself using fresh farm produce. At Bar BenFiddich Kayama introduced his signature, ‘farm to glass’ concept inspired by his family’s farming background, “We are generational farmers, that was how I was introduced to a lot of fresh produce which I try to incorporate in my drinks.” Even twigs found on the farm are sometimes used as garnishes and mixing spoons.
Ask him about his favourite spices to work with and there’s never an easy answer, “I like to use both Indian and Japanese spices in my cocktails, but you will find me using a lot of fennel in my signature Absinthe. I also like using star anise and cardamom.”
Sipping on his masala chai, Kayama spoke on the huge shift in Japan’s drinking culture, “The biggest change came when a huge number of tourists started coming to Japan. For instance, cocktails like the Negroni were never on the Japanese cocktail menu, but with Western tourists demanding it, you find it in every cocktail menu now.”
His Indian favourites include Amrut whiskey and Goa’s feni. “I tried feni in India, it is almost like Indian mezcal.”
With its cosy 16-seat arrangement, Bar BenFiddich offers an intimate setting where customers get to directly interact with Kayama while witnessing magic unfold at the counter.
Kayama is also an ardent foodie. “I love Indian curries, and when in India, I love the Hyderabadi biriyani, butter chicken, and of course, the masala chai.”
One piece of advice Kayama would give upcoming bartendeners is, “Keep the passion alive, most young people who join bartending now, lose their zeal after a few years in the industry. The only thing that will see you through is never letting the passion die.”
