It was his first competition and an immediate success. With his all-time drink "Not Berry Secret" and his laid-back manner, Anthony Christen was able to impress. "It's the perfect mix for all seasons," says the newly crowned winner. The bitterness of Appenzeller Alpenbitter as the basis for this cocktail was probably no easy challenge for any of the participants. The aim was to integrate these dominant flavors harmoniously into the drink without them gaining the upper hand. Dry vermouth, almond syrup, fresh lemon juice and raspberry kombucha made the whole thing a well-rounded affair for Anthony.
The young Barkeeper was also able to integrate his love of art perfectly into the competition. A self-drawn graffiti-style coaster as a guide to the recipe for the cocktail, which was on the back. "When I get home from work in the evening, I usually sit down, listen to music and make little drawings of cities with graffiti. It's a kind of calming therapy," he reveals.
Fullest support
"My mother is probably the happiest about the trophy," says the 20-year-old with a grin. She had already done a lot of advertising for the online voting and asked all his friends and acquaintances to vote for him. The father, for his part, is also clearly proud of his son's career choice. According to Anthony, the two of them share a decent gin collection. They already have 106 different varieties of his favorite spirit in their private collection.
The Barkeeper also has a very supportive environment. Philipp Kössl, the bar manager at the Dr. Zhivago Bar, where he has been working since last June, has been on hand with help and advice. "Philipp has many years of professional experience and has been a great help to me. He taught me a lot, which was very useful for the competition," he says gratefully. The trained restaurant specialist has known from a young age what his dream job is: Barkeeper.
After helping out in an après-ski bar, mostly clearing glasses, this desire to choose a career became firmly established. But even before that, gastronomy was an important part of his life. Due to his father's profession in the textile trade, Anthony spent the first few years of his life in Jakarta, Indonesia. He often visited restaurants: "You were always in the restaurant and saw how the waiters worked," he recalls of his childhood.
In addition, he has a lot of restaurateurs in his family, especially chefs; "As we all know, too many chefs spoil the broth," jokes the Barkeeper , explaining why he didn't choose to become a chef. He loves the contact with guests, he says. That's why it was clear to him that he wanted to work at the front.
London, New York or Asia
Although it was not his professional choice, the Indonesian-born Zug native is a passionate amateur chef. "When I have time, I like to cook Asian food, although it's relatively difficult to get the right ingredients here," he explains. His absolute favorite dish is nasi goreng, an Indonesian specialty with fried rice. Christen also doesn't get his cocktail favorites in his native Switzerland.
Because the Miami Vice, a combination of piñacolada and frozen strawberry daiquiri in the same glass, can probably only be found in certain bars in London. Anthony would like to go abroad in the future: "New York would appeal to me the most. There's a great culinary offer there." But the Barkeeper could also imagine working in Asia or London.
For the time being, the award winner has no plans for further competitions: "I'm now enjoying this award and want to concentrate on my work here and perhaps put more of my own creations on the menu."
This article appeared in
issue 5-2024
BAR NEWS magazine as single issue
