Taki Li presents a selection of limited-edition cocktails created for the Symposia cocktail series at Bvlgari Hotel Beijing.[Photo provided to China Daily]

On a busy night, Taki Li barely looks up. Her hands move instinctively- measuring, stirring, adjusting — each action precise and economical. There is no excess, no wasted gesture. Even at full capacity, with orders stacking and voices rising, she remains composed. It is this restraint, more than flair, that defines her.

It also explains why, at a moment when Bar Leone HK sits at the top of The World's 50 Best Bars 2025 by the namesake academy since 2009, Li has become one of the most closely watched bartenders in the industry.

Recently, that attention has extended beyond Hong Kong. As part of the Symposia cocktail series at Bvlgari Hotel Beijing, the 35-year-old bar manager brought her approach to a different audience -less as a showcase, more as an exchange. The format was collaborative, built around shared ideas rather than individual signatures.

For Nicola Turturro, director of the bar and restaurant at the hotel, what stood out was not just technical ability, but presence. "Very natural hospitality. She is super engaging and always smiling. Even though the bar was packed with people waiting outside, she was very calm and elegant in her movements."

That balance — between intensity and ease — is central to Li's practice."It's a huge pleasure and honor to have her with us," Turturro adds."She brings something, and we bring something. The two menus join together to create the drinks."