NYC’s bar scene is unmatched. We’ve got unique bars, we’ve got hidden bars, we’ve got tiki bars, we’ve got rooftop bars, we’ve got–okay we’ll stop there.
But guess what else we’ve got–the world’s best bartender.
Pay a visit to the Lower East Side’s coveted Double Chicken Please and you’ll find GN Chan, an industrial designer by training and a former street magician who made the move from Taiwan to NYC after (accidentally) falling into a bartending journey.
He now slings drinks behind the bar and holds the title of the world’s best bartender.
The prestigious Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2023 is voted for by the bartenders on this year’s list of The World’s 50 Best Bars who put forward the name of one of their peers who pushes the limits of what it means to be a great bartender.
Chan’s award win is in recognition of his “incredible ingenuity, creativity and perseverance that have made Double Chicken Please one of the most buzzed-about cocktail bars in the world.”
William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Bars, pointed out Chan’s “refreshing approach to crafting cocktails.”
This approach can seen through creative concoctions such as the Japanese Cold Noodle, made with Bacardi Superior, pineapple, cucumber, coconut lime, and sesame oil, and, our personal fav, the Cold Pizza, made with Don Fulano Blanco, parmigiano reggiano, burnt toast, tomato, basil, honey, and egg white.
With drinks like these it’s no surprise Double Chicken Please was voted the #1 bar in North America!
On winning the award, Chan stated:
I am extremely humbled and grateful to be named Altos Bartenders’ Bartender…This recognition serves as motivation, driving our determination to continue progressing and fueling our enthusiasm to share and expand within our beloved community. I have nothing but gratitude from receiving this honor from my peers. Thank you for being the giants, and for letting us stand on your shoulders.
The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award was introduced to The World’s 50 Best Bars award ceremony in 2017. The World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony will take place this year on Tuesday, October 17 in Singapore.