As a part of her guest shift in Zagreb, Chanel Adams from the legendary Albanian bar ”A Zimi, a Ljeti”… I’m just messing with you. She arrived from a renown cocktail bar PDT (Please don’t tell) in Hong Kong and presented a few cocktails to our media which you will be able to find on the new 50 Burger and Champagne bar’s cocktail list. The new list consists of app.15 cocktails and some of them are dedicated to Zagreb, for instance Zagreb Sour. This information would have been completely irrelevant if I hadn’t found myself at 50 bar that day. I’m good friends with the owner, Adena and I asked her to introduce me to the ravishing Asian straight away. Adena said to me: “You idiot! Just because she works in Hong Kong doesn’t mean she’s Asian!” Me: “Can she at least pretend she is?” Adena gave me half a Twix.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
In that moment, Chanel noticed me with her almost – slanty eyes and you can read the transcript of our conversation below.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
You were born in the USA, half Bolivian but I dont judge you, even I know you went to a private school. Your parents probably expected you to be a doctor or a lawyer. Were they mad at you when you told them that you would like to work in a bar? Did they remove you from their last will?
My parents were more worried than angry. I told them I wanted to go into hospitality, specifically bartending, and my mother swore I was going to be a drunk bartender at a night club. My stepfather tried to be as supportive as possible and calm my mom down.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
When I heard that PDT was opening in Hong Kong , I called every connection I knew and asked them to bother Adam Schmidt and Jeff Bell until they finally hired me. I was boring like Jehovah’s Witnesses. They had to hire me:) I do not know Jackie Chan. I’m not a communist.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
This is your first visit to Zagreb/Croatia. What do you think about Zagreb (food, drinks, people…)? Can you compare it with Hong Kong?
Zagreb is a very nice break from reality. The people are super kind and attractive. I pretty much only ate at 50, so I have no idea what the local food is like. I cannot compare Zagreb to Hong Kong. They are completely different. Hong Kong is much more expensive. I appreciate a more peaceful setting like Zagreb every so often, but I love the insanity of Hong Kong.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
I’ve decided to go with North Korean flavors – Korean chicken – chicken katsu, sesame mayo, homemade kimchi, various young greens and a toasted bun.
Foto: Dragi Vođa, Flash.hr
She told me it takes her an hour to get to work and back home and she pays her suburbian rent 2700 Euro per month. I have explained to her that our unions at the shipyards would never tolerate such exploitation. 20 minutes to work is the max distance a worker should go in a day to earn for their daily bread.
Every once in a while, Chanel would show some skin in order to draw my attention to her awesome tattoos.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
I’m married. My husband is amazing.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
What is your favorite cocktail except DEAR LEADER that you have prepared just for me?
Mezcal Negroni.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Flash.hr
Is it hard not to be an alcoholic when you’re preparing all those fancy drinks all night and day? Do you have any adiction or maybe some special skills like moving your ears… Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows.
I don’t like to drink. My body doesn’t react well to it. I’ve always been a foodie and if anything, I drink natural wine and sherry. I don’t have any cool skills, but I can always read the future out of your palm and lie that I’m psychic.
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
She said to me in fluent Gypsy: “Sao Roma BAbo, Babo… A great evil is upon you. I will protect you from this trouble; for a price. You are to live very, very long; if you pay extra. This line say you go to Hong Kong and I see love ahead. I see some singer Rihanna, drools a lot over you…”
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
What kind of music do you listen to and do you know of a famous Croatian singer, Milo Hrnić?
I listen to hip-hop/rap music mostly. Some metal, house and punk/ska as well. Never heard of him 🙁
Is this interview for Flash.hr the highlight of your career and if it’s not, you can lie that it is:)
Of couse it is. I have been looking forward to this moment my entire life.
Where have you been in 1991.?
1991? I was 1 year old. Probably trying to figure out how to walk somewhere.
If I didn’t ask you something and you would like to say it, say now, or shut up forever:)
I LOVE YOU:)
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
Foto: Dear Leader Joe, Flash.hr
We hung out with Chanel and her cocktails the entire night and according to 50 Burger and Champagne bar’s announcements, this young lady, who obviously got her name after a perfume, will be back with her PDT colleagues in spring to create a cocktail and gastro menu with chef Nikola Marković.
Author: Dear Leader Joe aka Gastro Snob or Joe Armani (that’s what Chanel calls me), a corresponding member of the “Give me Schnapps because there is no comfort in cocktails” magazine, a friend to the wealthy, a tycoon and a snob but above all a human.
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