Making History: The Unique Trajectory of GN Chan, Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023

GN Chan, Co-founder of Double Chicken Please in New York, was grateful to be named Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023 on October 17 in Singapore. But the most revealing thing is that he dedicated the award to the Double Chicken Please team, with whom he works and overcomes challenges every day.

In the hospitality industry, things tend to function better when we work together. Cooperation and collaboration help us achieve things that we never thought would be possible — leading us to dare to dream bigger and bigger every day.


Being recognized with the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023 Award not only serves as motivation for the winning bartender, but it also showcases determination, enthusiasm and a spirit of sharing throughout our beloved community, moving the industry forward.

What It Means to Be a Great Bartender: Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023

Since 2017 when the award was first introduced, the bartender community has annually nominated and selected a colleague who goes way beyond what it means to be a great bartender. The final selection is always someone from a bar listed on the year’s 50 Best Bars list. 

This year, Chan’s impressive commitment to the community and his overall positive impact on the industry gained its ultimate recognition.

“Of course there are feelings of gratitude for receiving this honor from my colleagues,” says Chan. 

Let’s not forget that behind this award is a strong motivation to generate important social advances in the bartending community. Carlos Andrés Ramírez, Head of Global Advocacy and Public Relations at Altos Tequila, says that supporting the bartending community has been a pillar for Altos Tequila since its creation in 2010. Twelve years later, they continue to invest in this initiative by supporting the Tahona Society Competition, the first competition of its kind to award sustainability projects in the industry.

“From the Altos Tequila and Tahona Society family, we want to congratulate GN Chan from Double Chicken Please in New York, for being this year’s winner of who best represents the values of a truly great bartender,” says Ramírez.

The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award premiered in The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2017 and the inaugural winner was Iain Griffiths from London’s Dandelyan. Subsequent winners include Joe Schofield, then at Tippling Club in Singapore in 2018; Monica Berg of Tayēr + Elementary, London in 2019; Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni, from Florería Atlántico, Buenos Aires in 2020; Lynnette Marrero of Llama Inn, New York in 2021; and Jean Trinh from Alchemical, Cartagena, Colombia in 2022.

Another way Chan has shone brightly this year is his refreshing approach to creating cocktails, added to his unwavering dedication, vision and warmth. Those who have been to Double Chicken Please cannot deny that it offers one of the most exciting experiences in the world! That’s why we are not surprised that his colleagues selected him as the winner of this award.

But who is GN Chan and how did his journey through the world of cocktails begin? Discover it!

Double Chicken Please: Innovative Combination of Cooking and Mixology

GN Chan studied Industrial Design and began his journey into the world of cocktails by accident. He had no prior experience or knowledge.

It all started shortly after falling in love with mixology, when he decided to leave his native Taiwan to travel to New York with one idea in mind: to perfect his skills in the complex art of making cocktails and balancing flavors.

His first project in 2017 was organizing unique cocktail and food experiences across the United States aboard a yellow 1977 Volkswagen van. His partner in crime was his business partner, Faye Chen.

The duo soon gained a reputation for their innovative combination of cooking and mixology along with the clever names of the cocktails. Three years later they created the acclaimed Double Chicken Please, located in the Lower East Side of New York City.

Despite numerous pandemic-related closures, Double Chicken Please, a dual-concept bar, rapidly grew and became recognized worldwide for its daily queues of customers and its “hacking design” concept, which refers to its innovative, original approach to design, often breaking traditional conventions to create something unique and unforgettable. In other words, their unconventional approach to bar design stands out, making it intriguing.

When you enter Double Chicken Please you enter a bustling room, for which you do not need a reservation. It’s fast and casual, offering tempting Taiwanese-influenced fried chicken burgers and an enticing list of creative, seasonal “Taptails.” The space is framed by concrete and brick walls.

Elsewhere, in the wood-paneled interior of The Coop, you’ll be served a fun and complex menu that playfully reinvents cocktails and dishes. Be assured you will find an unconventional interpretation of the usual cocktail experience! Dramatic lighting over the central bar draws attention, along with whimsical artwork that characterizes the unwavering sense of fun that defines the Double Chicken Please.

In just a few years, Double Chicken Please has achieved international recognition thanks to the achievements of Chan, Chen and, of course, the team. In fact, in 2022 it broke into The World’s 50 Best Bars list at number 6, winning the Disaronno Highest New Entry Award, before being named North America’s Best Bar in this year’s edition of North America’s 50  Best Bars.

This recognition motivates Chan of course, but it also fuels determination and a spirit of sharing throughout the bartending community. His refreshing approach to mixology and his overall contribution to the industry make Chan a standout and leader among his peers.