Zack Lee

Originally from: Singapore
Profession: Senior bartender
At: Singapore

As a senior bartender at Tess Bar & Kitchen, Singapore, Zack always believe in the art of creating cocktails with the use of local ingredients. He takes pride in creating different infusions, especially with the use of high quality tea leaves, which led him to win The Most Tea-Inspired Cocktail Award at the International Dilmah High Tea Competition 2015.

His bartending roots started at LOOF Bar in 2008, where he realised his love for having conversations with customers over the bar and strived to make drinks that suit their tastes. He decided to move on to Barstories, where he picked up skills of making bespoke cocktails and learning the basics of making well-balanced drinks. Next, he went on to Drinks Culture to further learn from his peers in the cocktail industry. Currently at Tess Bar & Kitchen, Zack uses his experience in creating exquisite bespoke cocktails for his discerning clients, while continuously learning from his mentor, Steve Leong.

“Main ingredient in Singapore Sing, forms a bridge with all ingredients and with a deep ruby red color”

Zack’s SG50 Pride

Glass: Sling
Garnish: Pineapple wedge & mint
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.

• 45 ml Cherry Heering
• 22.5 ml Botanist Gin
• 22.5 ml Fresh Lime
• 15 ml Gula Melaka syrup
• 30 ml Blended pan-seared pineapple with peppercorns
• 15 ml Spiced honey-infused red wine reduction

Inspiration
In Zack’s words “The Singapore Sling is an iconic Singapore cocktail that is well-known around the world. 2015 [when this cocktail was created] marked the 100 year anniversary for the classic cocktail as well as Singapore’s 50 years of independence. I am proud to be a Singaporean but I also take pride in the cocktails I make. Although I respect Ngiam Tong Boon, I believe in the art of creation. As such, SG50 Pride is a twist of the original, which incorporates the use of local ingredients, all the while staying true to the Singaporean identity. SG50 Pride consists of ingredients that represent Singapore’s multi-racial community, the Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians. Representing the Chinese culture, pineapple is often the symbol of prosperity and wealth. Gula Melaka represents the Malay culture, where it is used as a sweetener in many Malay traditional desserts. The infused spices in the red wine reduction is used to represent the Indian culture, which is known for using different types of spices in their food. The red wine itself represents the Eurasians who are known for making their own wine. Lastly, conforming to the original Singapore Sling recipe, Cherry Heering is the main ingredient in SG50 Pride, as it represents Singapore as a whole, for its ruby red colour is harmonious with the nation’s nickname, “The Little Red Dot”. At the same time, Cherry Heering is important in bridging the flavours of SG50 Pride together, forming a full bodied structure to the drink.”

Awards & Achievements
Winner of the 21st National Cocktail Competition 2010 (Student Category), Winner of the Dilmah High Tea Challenge Singapore 2015, Gold Award and The Most Tea-Inspired Cocktail Award for the International Dilmah High-Tea Competition 2015.

Zack Lee image 1 Zack Lee image 2
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