Hiroyasu Kayama - owner of Benfiddich bar has won many prestigious awards, including 5th place in Asia's 50 best bars in 2022. On his recent trip to Vietnam, he brought his passion and extensive knowledge of cocktails to Akio Lounge of Capella Hanoi hotel.
Cocktails from the farm
Hiroyasu Kayama, also known as Kayama San, was born into a farming family in Chichibu, a two-hour drive from Tokyo. He grew up loving nature while living among the rolling mountains and tending livestock on his family farm.
Bartender Hiroyasu Kayama
Hiroyasu Kayama’s strong connection to the land and farming has led him to his creative horizons. The scent of wood and earth are among his earliest memories. After graduating from high school, Hiroyasu left the countryside for Tokyo, where he worked as a hotel employee before becoming a bartender. Along the way, he even mined old European materials to find recipes for distilling his own style of drinks.
In 2013, Hiroyasu opened a 14-seat bar called BenFiddich. Using herbs, plants, and fruits from his family farm, he creates cocktails that cannot be found anywhere else. BenFiddich is where he creates his own cocktail "works" and introduces Japanese cocktail culture to the world.
By sourcing his own ingredients, Hiroyasu is able to use them in a different way. He handpicks the freshest ingredients each month to create a truly seasonal cocktail menu. This also allows him to source rare herbs and hybrids, giving his drinks a unique flavor that can’t be replicated anywhere else.
The ingredients used to make the cocktail are herbs, plants and fruits that Hiroyasu personally cultivates from his family farm.
Hiroyasu Kayama's BenFiddich bar makes cocktails from four bases: gin, absinthe, whisky, and amaro. He has a particular passion for absinthe. In his small, dark bar with just 14 seats, the mixologist displays a wide variety of herbs and homemade spirits, including a bottle of absinthe, distilled from wormwood in his garden.
Hiroyasu Kayama and BenFiddich Bar have received numerous individual and collective awards over the past decade. Over the years, Benfiddich Bar has consistently ranked 32nd among the World's 50 Best Bars 2021 and 5th among Asia's 50 Best Bars 2022.
Hiroyasu Kayama is known as "Japan's greatest bartender"
It's no surprise that international media have begun referring to Hiroyasu Kayama as "Japan's greatest bartender." The praise has come from both the public, cocktail enthusiasts, and the mixologist's social media fans.
His YouTube tutorial videos regularly attract millions of viewers because of their useful content, beautiful images and extreme appeal.
Bringing passion and uniqueness to the perfect stage
When coming to Vietnam, Hiroyasu Kayama brought with him many kinds of plants harvested from his farm in the suburbs of Tokyo to surprise Vietnamese customers. This is also what created Hiroyasu's brand.
Chrysanthemum-covered ice balls create a sweet, country-flavored Kinobi Botanical Martini.
The most elaborate of these are the ice balls wrapped in chrysanthemums, the ingredients used to make the Kinobi Botanical Martini, which is sweet and full of country flavor. When dropped into the cocktail glass, the light, lingering chrysanthemum scent stimulates the diner's sense of smell. According to Hiroyasu, a good cocktail must ensure aroma, color and taste.
It can be said that Akio Lounge is the perfect stage for Hiroyasu Kayama's return to Vietnam. Located inside the Capella Hanoi Hotel - a unique 5-star boutique hotel, Akio Lounge has a huge sake store, featuring the signature sake Izumi by Koki.
Akio Lounge - paradise of cocktail art
When talking about Vietnamese cocktails, Hiroyasu Kayama believes that the ingredients in Vietnam are very delicious and have many similarities with those in Japan. He hopes that in the future there will be cooperation between the two cocktail cultures to create special and unique drinks.
"Many people ask me about the secret to balancing art and business, and I think it all comes down to two words: 'passion'. With passion, you can do anything," Hiroyasu Kayama shared.
Capella Hanoi Hotel
More information
Nestled in Hanoi’s French-influenced Old Quarter, Capella Hanoi is an art nouveau masterpiece that pays homage to the splendor of the Opera House in the vibrant 1920s. Crafted by renowned architect Bill Bensley, the hotel features a collection of 47 individually designed rooms and suites. Capella offers authentic experiences and celebrates local art, craftsmanship and cuisine. Hudson Rooms and Koki are the luxury dining options within Capella Hotel and are Hanoi’s premier dining venues for those who love luxury and intimate gatherings.
With Akio - the lounge located on the 1st floor of Koki, a paradise of cocktail mixing art with rice wine, a sacred and familiar ingredient symbolizing Asian culture. Possessing a rich treasure trove of sake carefully selected from many different famous regions. Each type has its own unique flavor and color, but the common point is the exquisite quality. In addition, to ensure diners have a perfect delicious experience, Akio also prepares the most special sake menu in Vietnam along with the Burgundy wine list. Akio is also home to many types of tea that are strictly selected based on the criteria of the best, most delicate and richest flavor, imported directly from artisan brands such as Maiko or Ippodo.
Capella Hanoi Website: https://www.capellahotels.com/hanoi
Tel: 024 3987 8888
