Taki Li, bar manager of Bar Leone in Hong Kong, which is currently ranked No 1 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2025 list.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"When we got Asia's No 1, I was more nervous. When we got World's No 1, I kept telling my colleagues:'Hold me, don't let me cry!'"

The recognition carries wider industry weight. As Turturro notes:"It doesn't happen every day that a bartender from the number one bar in Asia creates a cocktail with you."

Yet Li remains focused on the original intent. "We want to be a neighborhood bar, not just a place people wait in line for."

Her priorities are shifting toward leadership and development. "In the past 10 years, I focused on bartending. In recent years, I moved into management. I enjoy it."

Collaborations like the Beijing guest shift suggest a broader trajectory.

As Turturro observes: "Guests now look for the story behind the drink, they want to understand why."

Li's answer remains consistent: strip away the unnecessary, focus on balance, and build connections. "If my bartender is happy, the drinks will be good," she says.

It is a simple principle — one that, in her hands, is executed with exacting precision.