Pei-Ling Chen, The Quiet Force Behind Taichung’s Cocktail Movement
Name: Pei-Ling Chen
Base: Taichung, Taiwan
Venue: Vender Bar, Taichung
Role: Bartender and emerging figure in Taichung’s growing cocktail scene
Known For: Delicate, flavour-balanced cocktails and warm Taiwanese hospitality
Signature Style: Seasonal fruits, tea-based infusions, soft aromatics and thoughtful layering
Instagram: Public at time of writing
How She Started
When Pei-Ling speaks about how she found bartending, she recalls a moment that feels small but turned out to be defining. She was working part-time in hospitality while studying, serving tables and watching the bar from a distance — almost like watching a stage.
She remembers noticing the way bartenders listened, the way they moved, the quiet precision behind each pour. Something about the craft felt calming, focused, almost meditative.
“There was something beautiful about how everything had a rhythm,” she once shared.
What started as curiosity became a pull she couldn’t ignore. She eventually asked for training behind the bar. It wasn’t glamorous. It was repetition, practice, long nights, and learning fundamentals slowly.
But every shift built confidence, and every drink she made brought her deeper into the craft.
Finding Her Voice at Vender Bar
Vender Bar sits on a quiet street in Taichung’s West District, a place known for its understated charm and loyal locals. It’s the kind of bar where lights are warm, music is unhurried, and cocktails are crafted with a sense of place.
Stepping into Vender was transformative for Pei-Ling. The bar’s philosophy — rooted in balance, subtlety, and respect for Taiwanese flavours — aligned perfectly with her personality.
She learned how to work with local ingredients:
fresh lychee in early summer, red guava, osmanthus, high-mountain oolong, longan honey.
She learned to coax gentle flavours out of them, never forcing complexity for the sake of showing off.
Her cocktails became a reflection of Taichung itself — approachable, comforting, quietly confident.
A Style Built on Calm Precision
Pei-Ling is not the type of bartender who demands attention. She doesn’t speak loudly, she doesn’t move theatrically, and she doesn’t chase flashy techniques. Her work is intimate and precise.
Her drinks often feature:
• Taiwanese tea infusions
• House-made fruit cordials
• Floral aromatics like osmanthus and jasmine
• Minimalist garnishing
• Gentle sweetness balanced with acidity
Her style is rooted in subtlety. She understands that flavour doesn’t need to be intense to be memorable.
“I want my cocktails to feel like a conversation, not a performance,” she said during our interview.
It’s a philosophy that resonates deeply with Taichung’s culture — warm, understated, thoughtful.
The Challenges of Bartending in Taichung
Compared to Taipei, Taichung’s cocktail community is smaller, more close-knit, and less spotlighted. Guests here value approachability. Bars rely more on regulars than food tourism. Trends move slowly and interpretations stay deeply local.
Pei-Ling sees these not as limitations, but as opportunities.
It gives her space to be sincere.
To grow without pressure.
To build relationships with guests who return again and again.
She acknowledges that being a woman behind the bar still comes with occasional stereotypes or assumptions, but she handles them with quiet composure.
Her consistency has earned her a loyal following — not because she demands recognition, but because guests trust her care.
What She Hopes Guests Feel
When asked what matters most in her hospitality approach, Pei-Ling’s answer is simple.
“I want people to feel they can breathe here.”
She designs drinks that comfort without overwhelming.
She moves in a way that steadies the room.
She listens more than she speaks.
Her presence behind the bar turns Vender into a space where people can slow down — a rare gift in a world that rarely stops.
Why Her Story Matters
Pei-Ling is part of the next generation shaping Taichung’s bar culture.
She represents:
• A shift toward gentle, ingredient-focused cocktails
• A rising wave of women stepping confidently into bartending roles
• A Taichung identity that doesn’t imitate Taipei, but grows on its own terms
• A hospitality style rooted in sincerity, not spectacle
She is not trying to be famous.
She is trying to be good.
And sometimes, those are the bartenders who change a city quietly, from within.
