Judy Ng, The Bartender Bringing Warmth and Refinement to Shanghai’s Evolving Cocktail Culture
Name: Judy Ng
Base: Shanghai, China
Venue: The ZUK Bar, The Sukhothai Shanghai
Role: Bartender & guest-experience specialist
Known For: Elegant, hotel-driven cocktails and warm, personalised service
Signature Style: Tea-infused spirits, floral notes, balance-driven drinks with Asian accents
Instagram: Public at time of writing
How She Found Her Way Behind the Bar
When Judy talks about her start in bartending, she often describes it as something that unfolded “one shift at a time.” She did not enter hospitality with the intention of becoming a bartender. She simply loved the rhythm of service — the soft lighting of hotel lounges, the mix of travellers and locals, the sense of calm professionalism.
While working in food service at a hotel, she found herself drawn to the bar counter. She admired the quiet choreography of bartenders, the precision behind each movement, and the way a single drink could shift the mood of a guest.
There was something magnetic about it.
She asked if she could train behind the bar. The answer was yes — but only if she committed fully.
And she did.
Those early months were filled with repetition: shaking, stirring, tasting, learning structure and balance. Judy embraced it all with the kind of discipline that hotel bartending demands.
Finding Her Voice at The ZUK Bar
The ZUK Bar, inside The Sukhothai Shanghai, is known for its subtle luxury — polished but not pretentious, design-driven, warm in tone and spirit. It is the kind of bar where cocktails are crafted with intention, where hospitality feels clean and intuitive, and where a bartender must balance skill with poise.
Judy flourished in that environment.
The bar’s emphasis on botanicals, teas, and modern Asian flavours resonated deeply with her. She began exploring oolong infusions, chrysanthemum aromatics, jasmine-washed spirits, and light florals layered gently over classic structures.
Her cocktails leaned toward balance rather than intensity. Soft edges, long finishes, and flavours that “breathe” instead of shout.
Guests often returned specifically for her recommendations — not because the drinks were dramatic, but because they were comforting, thoughtful, and quietly refined.
A Style Rooted in Calm Confidence
Judy’s bartending style is unmistakably shaped by her hotel background:
• Clean, elegant builds
• Tea-driven infusions
• Floral aromatics with restraint
• Fresh citrus and gentle sweetness
• Immaculate presentation without theatrics
She crafts cocktails that feel like an exhale — calm, grounded, refreshing. Her approach reflects the Shanghai she has grown with: polished, international, yet still carrying traces of softness.
“I want my drinks to make people feel settled,” she shared with us during our interview.
“You come to a hotel bar to unwind, to slow down. I try to give guests that moment.”
What She Represents for Shanghai’s Bar Scene
Shanghai’s cocktail scene is well known for its stars — world-ranking bars, visiting bartenders, experimental menus. But Judy represents the heart of the city’s drinking culture: the everyday bartender who keeps the scene alive with skill, warmth, and consistency.
She embodies:
• The refinement of modern hotel bartending
• The quiet rise of women behind Shanghai bars
• A style rooted in hospitality, not showmanship
• A bridge between international flavours and Chinese sensibility
Her work shows that great bartending in Shanghai does not always happen on awards stages. Sometimes it happens in hotel lounges, in quiet 1-on-1 moments, in the steady professionalism that shapes guest experiences night after night.
The Shanghai She Serves Today
Shanghai is fast, cosmopolitan, layered with cultures and rhythms. Judy sees her bar as a soft landing place within that intensity.
She loves the contrast — the speed of the city outside and the calm of the bar inside.
Her regulars include frequent travellers, local professionals, couples celebrating milestones, and curious guests just discovering the cocktail world. She enjoys the challenge of reading each guest and crafting a drink that suits their pace, their mood, their evening.
“A good bartender notices more than they speak,” she says.
It is that quiet intuition that defines her craft.
Why Her Story Matters
Not every influential bartender is a headliner. Some shape the industry through presence, professionalism, and consistent excellence.
Judy Ng is one of those bartenders.
She reflects:
• The evolving identity of Shanghai hospitality
• The rise of Asian botanicals in modern mixology
• The importance of warmth in luxury settings
• The power of subtlety in cocktail creation
Her story is not loud — but it is deeply felt.
And in a city that thrives on speed, Judy offers something rare: a moment of stillness, held in a glass.
