Mixologist and Pigeonhole co-owner Harry Chin joins host Emmanuel to explain how he moved from teaching into hospitality and how education, guest awareness, and trust in the palate shape his approach to mixology. He shares the thinking behind Hawaii-inspired cocktails, menu storytelling, creative development, and when classic or modern techniques serve the drink.

Key topics

• Harry moved from middle-school teaching and barista work into bartending after a demanding year balancing teaching and barback shifts.
• His teaching background informs how he trains newer bartenders, emphasizing curiosity, fundamentals, and learning from multiple mentors.
• He argues that mixology is more than memorizing classic recipes: bartenders must trust their palate and adapt to individual guests.
• Hawaii’s fresh tropical produce inspires his drinks, and he embraces classic tropical styles while advocating for fresh ingredients and better execution.
• The Queen’s Pog Swizzle combines passion fruit, pickled edible orchids, local rum, mint, orange, lime, and guava bitters.
• Pigeonhole’s menu tells the story of Harry and co-owner Teresa’s journey, including the Japanese-inspired Forbidden Sushi cocktail and a pho-inspired drink.
• Harry develops cocktails from themes, memories, or classic templates, refining originality while keeping the drink cohesive; R&D can take 10 to 50 trials.
• He prioritizes classic technique and foundational knowledge, using clarification and carbonation selectively, as in his satirical canned Tourist Trap Mai Tai.
• Harry and Teresa combine bar and culinary perspectives, and he advises pursuing meaningful work with full commitment.