The Aubrey bar manager Stefano Bussi talks to Stephenie Gee about his debut “Art of Shibumi” cocktail menu and crafting connections beyond the drink
Stefano Bussi was born behind the bar, literally. “My family used to run a small café in this small village in Piedmont where I’m from. At the back was our house, where me and my brother would stay so my mum wouldn’t need to worry about us and could run the operation. But of course, being inside all the time, I would run back and forth and often be up in the front with the guests. My mum always says I made my first negroni when I was eight, and from then I just knew that I wanted to do: something in hospitality. I wasn’t exactly sure if I wanted to be a bartender – I studied restaurant operations and then trained as a sommelier. But then I started learning about making cocktails in school, and I felt that the bar is like this stage where I can really express myself. From that moment on, it just kind of happened. And now here I am.”
“Here” is The Aubrey in the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, where Bussi, the newly appointed bar manager, is launching his debut cocktail menu “Art of Shibumi”. Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of shibumi – a celebration of quiet beauty, subtle refinement and the elegance of simplicity – the menu is the result of six months of intensive writing, development and fine tuning, built on the idea that what appears minimal at first often reveals the most meaning over time. Thirteen cocktails comprise the core menu, categorised into four stylistic chapters – Elegant, Refined, Imperfect and Balanced – with a trio of highballs to complement.
Bussi explains: “With ‘Elegant’ we wanted it to be like a starting point for people so we played around with familiar flavours and very elegant glassware – all very minimalistic. Then we move on to ‘Refined’, which is ‘Elegant’ but we kind of smoothed out the edges even more and played a little bit more with different flavours. So you’ll find combinations like pistachio with miso and caramel, and glasses that are a little more stylised. Which takes us to the third part of the menu, ‘Imperfect’. Here is where we break a little bit from shibumi and the effortless elegance and simplicity. So you’ll find glasses that are maybe a little bit twisted, different ceramic cups and the flavours also represent this.”
Take the Flawed Martini. The most daring and technically complex drink on the menu, it incorporates leftover wagyu oil and soy sauce – from The Aubrey’s signature wagyu sando – peanut butter and oyster leaf in a crystal-clear but umami-rich drink. “It’s not a combination that you think will work, but it does, and it gives you something to talk about and maybe invites you to discover a little bit more about your palate and to push a little bit more your boundaries,” he continues. “Then we have the fourth section, which is called ‘Balanced’.
In 2025, we’re always talking about mindful drinking so it’s very important for us to have non-alcoholic options. We created four non-alcoholic drinks – one cocktail from each section plus one of the highballs – that are exactly the same as their alcoholic counterparts. So if I’m sitting here with you and you don’t want to drink but I’m ordering a cocktail you don’t need to order a Coca-Cola – you can have a cocktail that looks and tastes exactly the same as the one I’m having. And then because we are a Japanese izakaya and it’s a symbol of Japanese drinking culture, we also have a highball section. There are the classics and then we also have three that represent one of the three sections of the main menu. So the first one represents ‘Elegant’, the second one ‘Refined’ and the third ‘Imperfect’.”
From Hanakotoba, a delicate low-ABV martini-like number featuring Nikka coffee gin, Daiyame imo shochu, St Germain elderflower liquor, Cocchi Americano and jasmine; to Shizen Sour, an umami-rich blend of whisky, brandy, pistachio, caramel and white miso, garnished with togarashi dust for a savoury expression; and the eponymous Shibumi, which best encapsulates the menu concept with Los Siete Misterios mezcal, yuzu, cinnamon, dry wines, oregano and elderflower, topped with edible glitter for the perfect finish; “The Art of Shibumi” has something for every palate, covering a broad spectrum of flavours and textures, and includes nearly every major category of base and infusion spirit.
“The biggest challenge of creating a menu is making sure that you have a balance of drinks that are crowd- pleasing and drinks that are a little bit more explorative so that everybody leaves with a big smile. We want to make sure that we please as many people as possible and I think with the ‘Art of Shibumi’ we were able to do that,” says Bussi. “As for the drinks, they too have to be balanced – strong, bitter, sweet, sour, dilution. Every cocktail is a little bit different, of course, but I think what makes a really good cocktail is when you’re able to achieve that final flavour you had in mind, and it has a good depth, a good story and can leave people talking about it for a very long time.”
The menu itself – a weighty, hardback book hand- stitched together using traditional Japanese binding techniques, with textured paper, hand-drawn icons and delicate gold brushwork applied during post-production for a tactile, high-design feel – is designed to last and be remembered, too. Because for Bussi, every detail matters. An active participant in the drinking experience, the menu is a prime opportunity to extend the bar’s identity, ethos and unique vision directly into the hands of the guest. When thoughtfully designed, it becomes part of the storytelling and part of the overall experience. It sets the stage, builds anticipation, and deepens the connection between the patron and their drink.
“For me, the experience starts before the first sip. Cocktails are just the cherry on the cake. There’s everything else – the people, the team, the ambience, the music, the light, the hospitality. I think in Hong Kong you can find a good drink pretty much everywhere. But what differentiates a very, very good bar with just a regular good bar is the connection and the hospitality – having that emotional engagement with your guests, making them feel like they are at home and very welcomed, and that you are ready to go the extra mile for them,” Bussi explains. “That’s what we do here at The Aubrey. When you’re sitting in front of me, I’m not just making or talking about our menu and our drinks but also listening to what you want to say to me. Maybe you had a bad day, or you want to tell me about your experiences or you just came back from a holiday, I don’t know. But I’m here for you and want to make you feel like you’re not even in a bar, you’re not even in the Mandarin Oriental, you’re just sitting in your house and I’m just a bartender making sure that you have a nice drink, the most beautiful service and the most wonderful hospitality.”
Also see: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa on creating the Nobu brand, sushi mistakes, and memorable meals
