How The Diplomat became Hong Kong’s first Pinned bar
When you fuse Hong Kong and American flavours, and mix that with a clear vision for vibrant hospitality, care for your team, plus unbeatable cocktails, you get Hong Kong’s first Pinned bar. We met John Nugent, founder of The Diplomat bar, in Hong Kong earlier this year to hear the story behind the venue and more about the region’s animated hospitality scene.
There are two parts to The Diplomat bar in Hong Kong. The first is akin to an American tavern, with high-counter seating and low lighting. Then, down a pink corridor, is the exclusive Social Club, with a contrast of dark seating and pink stools, an impressive vinyl collection, and a DJ booth to really get the party started.
American Nugent met with Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business and host of The Spirits Business Podcast, to chat about his journey and how his bar, The Diplomat, became the first venue in Hong Kong to receive a coveted Pin from The Pinnacle Guide.
“I was told about it years before it came out. It was very interesting and exciting to hear about because it had a ton of people on its discussion panels that I really respected – I mean, some super hardcore veterans,” Nugent said.
“Then you started seeing that they did their first release of Pins, and no one got three Pins [the highest recognition] on their first release. And you’re like: ‘Oh, this is being taken very seriously’.”
Once The Pinnacle Guide opened up to Asia, Nugent looked at applying – which was an extensive process. This was also an opportunity for Nugent to receive really honest feedback from his team, and to reflect on what The Diplomat did well and where there was still room for improvement.
“I wanted to be honest with myself a little bit and make sure I wasn’t just spitballing,” Nugent said. “I called my bar manager and was like: ‘Hey, how do you feel about these types of resources?’ He gave me a pretty honest answer. And I checked in with a couple of our female staff members. Do you feel like you have these resources? And again, they responded. So I was able to, almost, put their words on paper.
“I wanted to make sure I was being honest with ourselves and our operations.
“For instance, we kind of have an HR department that’s outside of our bar. So, if they were to have an issue with – doomsday scenario – me, or another [person] higher up, they don’t necessarily have to go through me. They have an outside resource where they can talk to someone. There was so much value in that, and I appreciate that we can offer that to our team and they can feel comfortable.”
The full episode with Nugent delves into his career progression, how he became a bartender and how he made the move from the US to Hong Kong. It also explores what it takes to create a successful bar, trends, miniature cocktails, and the wider bar scene in Hong Kong.
Listeners can find all episodes of The Spirits Business Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. The episode is also available to listen to for free via the Acast link below.
Past guests on The Spirits Business Podcast have included the founders of The Pinnacle Guide. Most recently, Nick Gillett, managing director of Mangrove Global, discussed the myriad challenges facing the spirits industry at present, and how brands can remain profitable in a tough economy.
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