From Gordon Ramsay's restaurants to the Regent Hong Kong, passing through The Goring and a long training in London: the Calabrian bartender recounts the journey that brought him to Asia. He also previews a new international challenge that, for now, remains top secret.
Sometimes to tell where you've arrived you have to go back to the starting point. In the case of Gennaro Pucci, that point is the Calabria. Then there is London, a decade spent learning the trade, competing with some of the most important names in international hospitality and building, step by step, his own idea of a bar. And finally Hong Kong, where that European formation found a new ground for comparison.
Today Pucci is thirty years old and is the Bar Manager of the Regent Hong Kong, where he oversees the entire mixology program. But his journey into the world of high-end hospitality began much earlier. “It started over ten years ago and developed mainly in London, a fundamental place for my professional growth”, tells to MT Magazine within a new chapter of the column “Italians do it better”, dedicated to the success of Italian bartenders abroad.
For him, London wasn't just a city to work in. It was a school. One that teaches the craft through speed, discipline, and daily interaction with professionals from around the globe. Pucci, in the heart of the United Kingdom, has had the opportunity to pass through some of the most prestigious realities of international catering and hotel industry, from Gordon Ramsay's restaurants to The Goring, up to D&D London And at the Rhubarb Hospitality Collection. “I have had the fortune and privilege of honing my skills and my vision of hospitality working for some of the most prestigious companies and multinationals in the world.” Then, however, comes a time when even a city like London can become cramped. Not for lack of opportunities, but precisely because after ten years, the desire to test oneself with something different arises. “After a decade in London, I felt the need for new professional stimulation and Asia represented the most dynamic frontier.”
In August 2023, Pucci then took a plane and flew to the East. Destination Hong Kong. We're talking about a destination that certainly needs no introduction, but which for those working in high-end mixing today represents one of the most interesting stages in the world.Hong Kong, in particular, is a unique city: it has an incredibly vibrant, cosmopolitan and internationally interconnected bar scene.”, he continues. “I often say that 'today it's better here than in London' for those who want to take a path in high-end mixology."
It's not just a feeling. It's the result of what Pucci sees every day in the Asian market: attention to product, investments, major events, and ongoing dialogue with the most important professionals on the international scene. “It's an extremely meritocratic market, where there's a tremendous focus on quality, imported products, and major events, like the weekly guest shifts with the world's best bartenders.” And above all, he adds, “it offers budget and career opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere right now.”
This is where the Qura Bar, inside the Regent Hong Kong. A place whose architecture seems to convey a precise idea of luxury: sophisticated rooms, a vintage touch, views of Victoria Harbour, and a large backlit pink quartzite bar that becomes the heart of the space. But behind the aesthetics lies a philosophy. Pucci, not surprisingly, never describes Qura as a simple cocktail bar. “Qura is not just a bar, but a true sanctuary for connoisseurs.” Its definition finds concrete expression in the collection of rare wines and spirits built through months of research with global partners, including historic bottles and collectibles from some of the most legendary distilleries, not to mention the cigar room reserved for the most prestigious Cuban brands.
Such a context could easily lead to a muscular blend, designed to showcase technique. Pucci instead chooses the opposite path: tto remove, to subtract, to let the product speak. “My mixology style is strongly minimalist, tailored and product-focused.”, he explains. Because when there are bottles of this quality in the back bar, the first rule becomes not to cover them. “Having such an extraordinary collection of rare wines at my disposal, my philosophy is to respect the original flavors as much as possible.” His answer is a blend that starts from tradition, but doesn't stop there. “We work primarily on contemporary twists on classics, in which classic technique meets a modern touch, combining global flavors and excellent ingredients.”
And so cocktails become the most immediate way to understand this philosophy. In a glass, Japan meets Italy through the “Shizuka”: Nabeshima Junmai Ginjo Yamadanishiki ake, Altamura Vodka, Maraschino, Mancino Ambrato Vermouth, cucumber juice, complemented by Maya's cucumber garnish. A combination that brings together sake and vodka with two profoundly Italian references: maraschino and vermouth, before closing with the vegetal freshness of cucumber. The journey continues with “A star is born”: Renowned Americano Bianco, Botanist Gin, Quaglia Thyme, cucumber, violet liqueur, blueberry cordial, with kogiku flower as a garnish. Here too, botanicals, floral notes, fruit, and bitter components blend without losing the clean lines that are part of the bartender's philosophy.
His Calabria is a must. Not as a souvenir, but as a real ingredient. In the cocktail. “Lord Mango”, based on Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 fatwashed with vanilla yogurt, mango, Calabrian fennel, and lime, the technique meets a product tied to its land of origin. Calabrian fennel is inserted into a drink that works with the creaminess of vanilla yogurt, the tropical sweetness of mango, and the freshness of lime. The fatwashing technique also returns in the“Hermione”, with Botanist Gin fatwash with cream cheese, Ratafia Rossi la Rossa, cocoa and strawberry syrup, and lemon. In this case, the gin is transformed through the cream cheese and given a softer profile, where cocoa and strawberry create a more indulgent flavor balanced by the acidity of the lemon.
The research pushes towards an even more gastronomic dimension with “Bebop”, based on Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Fino Sherry, banana, hazelnut, olive oil, and bread foam. Cognac thus meets ingredients that seem more like they belong in the kitchen than in bartending, from hazelnut to olive oil, to bread foam, with Fino Sherry providing a drier, more vertical component. Finally, there's the “Beth Luis Nion” With Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014 infused with sun-dried tomatoes, Amaro Camatti, guava, sansho pepper, and elderflower tonic. An Islay whisky that completely changes perspective thanks to the infusion of sun-dried tomatoes, Italian amaro, guava, and the spicy component of sansho pepper, ending with the floral and fresh finish of elderflower tonic.
Gennaro Pucci's signature cocktails seem to speak different languages, but they have a precise common thread: the desire not to choose between Italy and the world. Bringing a culture with you and, at the same time, allowing yourself to be influenced by what's on the other side of the planet. Perhaps this is the key to understanding why, in recent years, so many Italian professionals have become protagonists of the best international brands. For Pucci, it's neither a coincidence nor a trend. “The success of Italian hospitality around the world is not a passing fad, it's a question of DNA.”
There's something about the Italian way of standing behind a counter, or in front of a guest. “We Italians have an innate way of making guests feel at home, even in the most luxurious and formal hotel settings in the world.” But that warmth must be met with solid preparation, often built far from home. "We know how to combine rigorous technical discipline—often learned at great sacrifice abroad—with human warmth, empathy, a spontaneous smile, and the art of hospitality." It is this combination, according to our interlocutor, that becomes truly recognizable when working outside Italy: “Abroad, this mix of impeccable professionalism and relational authenticity makes the difference.” And then there is a story made of tables, products, spirits and conviviality. “Add to this our historic culture of good food and drink, and you understand why wherever there is a great, successful bar in the world, there is often an Italian team behind it.”
Gennaro Pucci, meanwhile, continues to look ahead. Hong Kong was his new frontier after London, and Qura Bar was the place where he put everything he learned to good use. But the journey doesn't end here. In fact, another chapter has already begun. For now, we can only say that Pucci has signed a contract with a global restaurant group to become Global Beverage Manager. Details, however, will have to wait: they won't be made public for another ten days. This surprise is still shrouded in secrecy, but it suggests that the Calabrian bartender's international journey is far from reaching its final destination.
