GN Chan

Double Chicken Please, New York City

Designer turned bartender with true generosity of spirit

GN Chan is used to adversity. He moved from his native Taiwan to the US with limited money and prospects. Later, after searching for years, the perfect spot that he and business partner Faye Chen had found for their bar concept fell through at the last minute, leaving the pair site-less and jobless. When their bar, Double Chicken Please (DCP), finally opened in New York’s Lower East Side in November 2020, the pandemic refused to abate, leaving the premises frequently empty or closed by mandate.

But now the street magician turned bartending genius is having to endure the opposite: namely widespread acclaim. Chan’s spirit, energy, creativity and generosity – the very qualities that saw him overcome so many challenges – have been recognised with the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Awards 2023.

Meanwhile DCP is the toast of the cocktail crowd, wowing guests, industry experts and the voters who determine The World’s 50 Best Bars with its mix of accessibility, fun and innovation. Much of the appeal is down to Chan’s cocktail creations, which sees him craft savoury libations based on culinary staples, ranging from Mango Sticky Rice (rum, mango, cold brew, coconut) through to NY Beet Salad (gin, beet, pineapple, mascarpone) and Cold Pizza (tequila, parmesan, burnt toast, tomato).

Furthermore, the bar is both inclusive and community-minded, with a buzzing front space (Free Range) serving affordable ‘taptails’ (pre-mixed cocktails on tap), alongside signature fried chicken sandwiches, complemented by the upscale but warm back room (The Coop) specialising in the more elevated and celebrated serves.

Chan and Chen together have created a genuinely welcoming space as well as a collaborative working culture, appreciated by employees and peers alike. Chan’s grounded personality also means he will approach the good times just as he did with tough times, by remaining humble and looking to the future.

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