The stylish Nautilus at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta just welcomed the new Bar Manager, Julian B. Brigget. Julian who has just come from the acclaimed Bar Trigona (Best Bar in Malaysia and #29 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars) at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, works meticulously by cherry-picking a fine selection of premium cocktails and spirits through his knowledge and prowess. Speaking of his recent appointment, we sat down with Julian for an exclusive yet intimate interview, he tells us what he's working on, how is the bar scene in Jakarta, and what is the plan we can expect from Nautilus at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta in the near future.
Profile of the Month: Julian B. Brigget, Bar Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
What’s your background in hospitality and what led you to this position?
I started off my career in 2012 in F&B. I was working in a room service all-day dining and then in 2016 that's where I started off my career in bars. My first bar was a very high-volume bar. We were doing something like 400-plus covers at night in Malaysia. I have always been working in Malaysia, never moved abroad. This is my first time actually coming abroad. I used to work in a bar called Sky Bar, so it's a rooftop bar. And then in 2018, that's when I made my transition to Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur as the Assistant Bar Manager at Bar Tribona.
How excited are you about joining Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta?
I'm very excited and very pleased to be here. It's a very good opportunity for me to be able to come here and join this team. They are very talented, very passionate team in Jakarta. And we are looking to do a lot of work on the ground with the team as well.
Can you share any teasers as to what guests can expect from the new menu?
Our drinks menu will be based on the trading port in Indonesia. So, what we are trying to do is we are trying to showcase the local flavors, spices, and herbs. Anything that was going through the trading ports back in the 1600s.
What tips can you give for making a perfect cocktail?
The tip is actually to understand what your guests want to drink and understand the clientele, what kind of palate, what kind of taste, and what kind of flavor profiles. So everything is not based on not what we want to create, but it's what our guests want to drink at the end of the day. So we have to cater our beverages according to the clientele.
What would you suggest to the loyal guests if they come to Nautilus? Any particular favorite drinks that you would suggest?
I would suggest Immigration Negroni. It's a fantastic Negroni. It's got a balance of sweetness, a bit of bitterness, and it's a strong spirit-forward drink at the same time. So that is one of my favorite drinks on this menu.
What’s your favorite go-to drink and why?
My favorite go-to drink any day would be anything that has rum or whiskey. These are my two favorite drinks and my favorite style of cocktails is generally like Manhattan's, old-fashioned, a bit more on the stronger side.
Can we find them at Nautilus?
Yes, you can find these drinks. It's not on the menu but you can ask us.
What do you do during your free time?
During my free time, I like to go and explore and try local food. I like to eat local food, especially when I was back in Malaysia, I only eat like Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian. So in Jakarta, what I'm planning to do is to go and try the local cuisine, the local dishes like nasi padang, nasi gila, those kinds of things. So this is my aim. And also if at night, I love to go to cocktail bars.
Speaking of cocktail bars, have you explored any favorite go-to cocktail bars in Jakarta?
So far I've only been to two. The Cocktail Club and A/A Bar. Yes. So these are the two bars that I've been to so far. I've not had much time to go and explore yet. So over the next couple of weeks, when I have more free time that's when I'll start going out.
When you go to the bar to enjoy the drinks, what do you see besides the drinks?
Generally, when I look at a bar, I look at the interaction between the team and guests. I also like to, you know, I'm a big fan of whiskey, so I generally will check out all the whiskey collections in a bar.
What’s your view on the bar scene in Jakarta?
Jakarta is a really growing scene. People really do enjoy their drinks here. This is what I've noticed. People do enjoy good quality drinks and they actually tend to love cocktails more. But the crowds are based on different categories as I realize here. You have your working class where they go to certain bars, and then your younger generation tends to go more into clubs. So here, you know, like Nautilus, our main clientele would be people from the offices that are around this area and our hotel guests as well.
What are you working on it right now?
I will be leading Nautilus. So my main focus will be on Nautilus, however, I will have a couple of projects where, you know, I would have to do some drinks for Alto Restaurant & Bar.
Can you give any preview of what will come next in Nautilus and Alto Restaurant & Bar?
For Alto Restaurant & Bar, we will be creating a menu focused on Italy. So it will be more Italian-style drinks, Italian-style spirits, and so on. We want to showcase the pairing of Italian food with Italian drinks. Meanwhile, for Nautilus, we'll be exploring local flavors.
Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
Capital Place
Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 18, Jakarta Selatan
Phone: +62 21 2277 - 1888
