Hong Kong is a place brimming with talented and intriguing people from all over the world. In our 27 Questions column, we get up close and personal with these notable personalities, learning about their whims and aversions, pivotal life moments, and hopes and dreams — all in roughly the same duration of a casual speed date. Our next segment of 27 Questions brings us to Shingo Gokan, the founder of SG Group, as he came to Hong Kong to open his newest bar concept, GOKAN.

For those familiar with cocktails and the global bar scene, Shingo Gokan is a household name. Now on to his tenth bar, Gokan has popular establishments in cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and now Hong Kong. While his main outpost is Tokyo, he’s guest-shifted some of the most famous bars including the American Bar in London’s Savoy Hotel.

GOKAN, located on Ice House Street, references Gokan’s name and the double meaning in Japanese for the five senses, which is what he and partners Amanda Cheung and Russell Stradmoor are looking to evoke in this new concept. Gone over in more detail in our recent digital cover Vol. 008, Gokan is adding to his proven drinks with the addition of food — he is joining his knowledge for an idea that is contemporary bar-meets-traditional Japanese cuisine.

Gokan is a man who knows what he likes and is not too distracted by things outside of what he is passionate about. In fact, some of his most fond memories happened while he was competing in the World Cocktail Competition. Aside from being a well-travelled bar owner, Gokan is serious about maintaining traditions as he still enjoys traditional tea ceremonies, ramen, and shochu. Learn more about Shingo Gokan in our 27 Questions below:

27 Questions: Shingo Gokan

Name: Shingo Gokan
Age: 41
Neighbourhood: Tokyo
Occupation: Bartender, Bar Owner

1. What is your life motto?

Just enjoy life and give others an enjoyable experience.

2. What is your spirit of choice?

Any type of Shochu but I particularly like sweet potato Shochu. I also make my own brand of Shochu.

3. What’s special about SG Shochu?

It’s the first of its kind made for the bar industry. We played with the ABV and it is also fruitier and less oily. Most Shochu is made to be paired with food, but ours was made to be used as the base in cocktails.

4. What was your first job?

My first job was bartending, but my part-time job before that was delivering pizzas when I was 18. I always knew I wanted to do something creative with food or drink so I actually interviewed for the position of a pastry chef. I botched my pastry chef interview so ended up being a bartender.

5. Apertivo or nightcap?

Apertivo.

6. Best Hangover cure?

Clam soup. It is very Japanese, but it works and it is my go-to.

7. What has been the biggest challenge so far in your career? 

It was moving the States in 2006. I didn’t speak any English and I was broke.

8. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I’ve gone from being a night owl to an early riser. As a bartender, you have to work into the night but as I grew to be a bar owner, I learned that most of the business meetings are conducted in the early morning. You need to be up early to make sure your business can run smoothly at night.

9. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

I love eating ramen.

10. What was the best gift you ever received?

A watch my dad gave me around 20 years ago. It was a black Rolex GMT-Master II. It was unfortunately stolen after a year of being in my possession. I eventually bought a similar one a few years later.

11. What is one item you can’t travel without?

It would have to be either a comb or pomade.

12. What is the best career advice you’ve ever received?

One of the judges said “Just be yourself,” during the 2012 World Cocktail Competition finals.

13. What do you do when you just don’t want to drink alcohol? 

Just drink water.

14. What is something that has happened as a result of bartending that you still find amazing?

The Savoy Cocktail book is like my bible so I was blown away when they invited me to guest shift. I was the first and last one in over 130 years. It was one of the greatest moments in my career.

15. What is your favourite tradition?

Japanese Tea Ceremony.

15. Where do you go when you want to be alone?

The Sauna.

16. Which moment in your life would you most like to relive?

The moment I won the World Cocktail Championships.

17. What is your most prized possession? 

My company and my bar.

18. What is your typical Sunday like?

Working at the bar on Sunday nights.

19. What is the one thing that keeps you driven to do your work?

The sense of accomplishment when creating a good cocktail, a good bar, or a good brand, the process of building it with my team, and seeing guests happy after it’s done.

20. What’s your favourite bar in Hong Kong?

Penicillin. The cocktails are simply delicious.

21. What’s the #1 Mistake that beginner bartenders make?

Being overconfident.

22. What makes a drink a good drink?

Balance is everything.

23. Are there any cities you wish to expand to?

If there were any, I would have already done it.

24. What song has been on repeat for you lately?

“My Way” by Def Tech.

25. How many languages do you speak?

Japanese, broken English, some Spanish, and some Chinese used in the bar.

26. Do you listen to your heart or your head?

Both.

27. What is your go-to or favorite fashion label?

RRL

Image/Video: Ryan Putranto, Samson Jr C De Guzman
Interviewer: Ambrose Leung 
Venue: GOKAN

For more 27 Questions, click here.