Jay Khan is the co-founder of COA Hong Kong, a Mexican-inspired craft cocktail bar that topped the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, and ranked No. 7 out of the World’s 50 Best Bars this year. The establishment specialises in agave tequila and traditional mezcal.
The eldest of five, Khan grew up in Hong Kong and was raised by his mother and grandmother. His first foray into the F&B industry was working in a dim-sum eatery after high school.
Over the past 15 years, he has worked his way up from being a floor staff to leading Lily & Bloom, a contemporary American cocktail bar and restaurant in Hong Kong. It was there that he had his first taste of mezcal and, enthralled by the flavours, began making regular trips to Mexican distilleries to learn more about this underrated liquor.
COA opened in November 2017 to share his passion for “these misunderstood spirits”. Here, the self-taught bartender talks to Set the Tables about his humble beginnings, embracing mistakes as a natural part of progression, and why it’s important to know that there are no shortcuts to success.
Set The Tables: What would you say was your first step towards building a foundation for success?
Khan: COA is my first time being a business owner. When we opened in December 2017, it was about having a space where I could make drinks.
I didn’t give a lot of consideration to the business aspects of things, or even tiny details like the furnishing, choice of music, or creating an ambience that guests would feel comfortable in.
We were losing money throughout the first year. We were behind by anywhere between HK$50,000 and HK$100,000 every month.
We were fortunate that our investors were very supportive. They believed in our passion and even offered more help as they knew the longer we were able to stay open, the better we would get. And they were right.
From the very beginning, we had issues with staffing, finances, and struggling to educate guests on what we were doing not only with our mezcal menu but also with the space itself.
We did not have the budget for a designer, so the place was done up on our own. It was very raw. If you stepped into COA when we first opened, apart from our hospitable staff, there was no warmth to the space.
In hindsight, I should have paid more attention to these aspects early on. However, we learnt fast and hard, and we are a resilient team.
What kept your team going?
We like to engage with our guests and ask: “What can we do to improve? Is there anything we could have done better?”
We would have a lot of these conversations with guests who would soon become regulars. And it paid off. From about late 2018 to early 2019, business picked up, and we were able to just about break even, not in terms of the whole investment but monthly profits.
I’ve struggled a lot throughout the years, even just getting into bartending. Nothing came easy, but the journey has made everything well worth it.
The past five years running, COA has been a rollercoaster ride – but we’ve also really enjoyed it. It is not always about the destination; it’s about the journey, and who we are journeying with.
What differentiates a good bartender from a great one?
Being a bartender is all about being patient. There are no shortcuts. Some people will succeed faster if they are fast learners.
A good bartender is somebody who makes good drinks and knows the basics of product knowledge. A great bartender is one who proactively takes care of the guest, doing everything from the heart.
Some bartenders may not be very good with drinks but are naturally good with people. It boils down to whether you prefer a guy who is knowledgeable and makes you the perfect cocktail, or someone who makes your evening a great one.
This article was written by Theri Burhan for Set the Tables. Set the Tables is positioned to inspire and educate those in the industry as well as the aspiring reader who dreams of a future in the food business, and maybe even the merely curious tantalised by the vast and irresistible universe of food and drink. Follow them on Instagram.