Guest Shift: Đạt Nguyễn × Hendrick's Gin at oMM Mixology
On 20 June 2026, Saigon bartender Đạt Nguyễn stepped behind the bar at oMM Mixology for a guest shift with Hendrick's Gin. His concept started with a simple question – what happens when a summer garden meets the ocean? – and answered it with cocktails that set bright tropical fruit and botanicals against the fresh, briny depth of Miyagi oysters. The night was part of oMM's regular guest shift series, which brings leading bartenders from Vietnam and across Asia to Saigon.
Who is Đạt Nguyễn?
Đạt Nguyễn is one of Saigon's most quietly respected bartenders – the kind The Dot Magazine called "your favorite bartender's favorite bartender." He is known for an encyclopedic knowledge of classic cocktails, a Japanese-style attention to detail and a calm, precise presence behind the bar, letting the drink rather than the performance do the talking.
From Monde to HỢP 合
His path began at Monde, one of Saigon's early classic cocktail bars, where a Martini made by its owner, Mr. Hasegawa, showed him how much personality a simple, elegant drink could hold. That mentorship still shapes his economical movements and careful pours. Today he is Group Beverage Director for Coco Saigon, DẠ 夜 Dining and HỢP 合 Sky Bar on the 26th floor of CENTEC Tower. At HỢP 合 he built a programme of classics, tiki drinks and tap cocktails such as Pandan & Matcha, Red Wine & Jujube and Lychee & Goji Berry.
The night: when a summer garden meets the ocean
For his guest shift, Đạt partnered with Hendrick's Gin and played matchmaker between land and sea. Garden botanicals and the bright notes of tropical fruit were coaxed to melt into the fresh bite of Miyagi oysters – a subtle contrast, but enough to fully awaken the palate. Each pairing let guests taste how gin's botanicals shift against the salinity of the ocean, one sip and one bite at a time.
The drinks
Pear × Shiso – Hendrick's with amazake, clarified pear juice and shiso, lengthened with a mix of soda and tonic.
Jackfruit × White Champaca – Hendrick's with Yellow Chartreuse, jackfruit-infused fino sherry and white champaca whey.
Yuzu × Sencha – Hendrick's with yuzu vodka, sencha-infused bianco vermouth and orange bitters.
Cocktail Flight – a flight for guests who wanted to explore the night side by side.
The oysters
The cocktails were paired with oysters from two coasts: Pacific oysters from Nha Trang and Miyagi oysters from Japan. Guests could take them as sashimi – with a Bloody Mary made with Hendrick's Gin, calamansi and green chili, shiso vinegar and shallot, or wasabi and dashi – or baked, with cheese and custard or with herbs and butter.
Moments from the night
A look back at Đạt Nguyễn's guest shift with Hendrick's Gin at oMM Mixology, 20 June 2026.
Why Đạt Nguyễn at oMM
Precision and respect for the ingredient sit at the heart of how oMM works. The team goes directly to growers, roasters, fermenters and distillers to understand each ingredient, then uses techniques such as vacuum distillation, centrifugation and infusion to draw out its character – an approach shaped with creative advisor Shuzo Nagumo. Đạt's classic, detail-driven craft made him a natural fit for a series built on sharing ideas across one bar counter.
More guest shifts at oMM
See all guest shifts and gatherings at oMM Mixology, including Hữu Phú, Vietnam's Bartender of the Year 2020 and Mahaniyom from Bangkok. Upcoming dates are announced on the Events page, and tables can be booked via TableCheck. You can also revisit the original Đạt Nguyễn guest shift announcement.