Ahead of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, which will be revealed on 18th July, Hong Kong-based Beckaly Franks has been named the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023. 50 Best catches up with the Hawaii-born force of nature for a quickfire Q&A to discover where her love of hospitality stems from, how she wound up in Asia and the origins of her beloved HK establishment, The Pontiac
What does it feel like to be voted by your peers as the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender 2023?
It is amazing and a complete surprise. I’m in absolute shock: I’m just out there trying to take care of things and survive. I trip, I fail, I fall but I always try to triumph and carry the flag. I can’t pretend to be wise or perfect, but one thing I can say unequivocally is that I’m authentic. I’m out there and I don’t put a veneer over myself. It would never occur to me that anyone’s been watching, but it makes me very happy to see that the work we do has been noticed.
How did you get into the hospitality industry?
I was born on Maui in Hawaii and my family were part owners of a bar called First National in the small town where I grew up, which only had around 50 people. My first memories are of being in and around the bar; I can remember exactly how dusty the cherry syrup tasted in the Shirley Temples and I would hide in the corner and watch all the adults having a great time. I thought it was outrageously glamorous then and I still do today. The art of the bar and knowing exactly what hospitality means was always something that was part of our family.
Tell us a bit about the glamour…
I vividly remember a New Year’s Eve party where there was a lady wearing a black feather cap, smoking cigarettes, drinking Martinis, like something straight out of a Fifties movie. I was hiding in among the coats and so much wanted to be a part of it. The next morning when I came down, the lady’s feather cap was there on the table. It was magical.
Since first entering hospitality, Franks knew she wanted to build a platform to help empower women in hospitality, as evidenced at The Pontiac, whose entire staff roster is female
And then you moved to Portland early on in life?
Yes, I went to Oregon in my teens. I was doing all sorts of jobs, but my first bartending gig was a place called Thunder Ranch, out in the ‘burbs. It was like Coyote Ugly on steroids. There was a mechanical bull on the dance floor, we did five choreographed dance routines per night and we would dance on top of the bar – I felt as though I’d really found my niche.
How were the drinks back then?
There were a lot of beers and shots, sure, but I wanted to do more with the cocktails. My uncle was a gardener and botanist and some of my earliest olfactory memories are the smell of the strawberries he would grow and the beer he would brew. I started making infusions of fruit and spirits in the bar when I was around 24.
When did the love of craft cocktails hit?
I was printing money at Thunder Ranch, but I knew I wanted more from the art of bartending. There is a bar called Teardrop Lounge that everybody wanted to work for, so I left my job to manifest getting into Teardrop. Unfortunately, it was around 2008 and the time of the recession. There were doctors, lawyers, bankers and all sorts of professionals looking to get into bartending and everyone was fighting for the same jobs. My resume just wasn’t good enough to get in.
Teardrop was the place. The training programme was incredibly good and rigid, the cocktails are amazing and the thought process is intricate. I called and called until eventually, someone said ‘‘come in at noon tomorrow’‘… I’m a Capricorn, a pusher and can be very aggressive towards my goals in life. I’m very fortunate to have found an avenue where I can be an authentic version of myself and create art in the way that I do.
What was your big break that took you on your international journey?
I entered a famous international cocktail competition with a vodka brand, won it and went on to represent the US in a team with Steve Schneider [owner of Employees Only, New York City, LA, Singapore]. I treated it all as performance art: to me it was one big masterpiece and we took three out of the four competitions. We trained, we rehearsed, we made sure it was perfect and it took me around the world from there.
The Hobnail (blended Scotch, ginger syrup, herbal liqueur and bitters) was invented by Franks and has remained a Pontiac fan-favourite since its introduction
So, why Asia?
Firstly, the Asian cocktail community just struck me as so close-knit, so vibrant. It also meant I got to meet Michael Callahan [founder of 28 HongKong Street, Singapore] who has been a very big part of my journey.
I returned home from the world tour with the competition and in 2014 – a hot minute ago – got a message from Michael and he said: “Hey – are you ready to move to Hong Kong?”. It was never a discussion. Two months after that we opened The Pontiac.
How would you describe The Pontiac?
Conceptually, the idea for Ponty had been budding for some time. Looking back, I don’t really have the words to describe how beautiful it has become. It’s a space which promotes female talent with an open-arms attitude. I feel as though we raise up young women to become the best versions of themselves [The Pontiac is staffed by an all-female team]. It’s named after Chief Pontiac, who was the Chief of Sixes. He was a warrior; I am a warrior and it is authentically the voice of our tribe. I wouldn’t say that it’s built in my image, but it is overarchingly synonymous with me and will always be close to my heart.
Recently you have expanded into a range of hospitality businesses?
During the pandemic, in the fourth wave, we opened Ponty Café and it’s been immense. It was created out of the need to survive. It’s quite simple: small bites, proper espresso and nice drinks.
Since then, my wife Ezra [Star] and I got married under the Hungry Ghost Moon and started our own company called Hungry Ghost. We’ve since launched Call Me Al – yes, it’s named after the Paul Simon song – an all-encompassing site focussed on natural wine, food and cocktails, built to feel like a global living room.
We also have Artifact, which is like a bend of time and space. It’s going to be a revolving concept and currently we have a super-talented Japanese chef in there so the barrier to entry is a little higher. There’s also an amazing bar where we’re really pushing highly modern cocktails. I think all of the venues are very much a part of me and I’m so excited to see where we go next. There’s a lot to come!
Want to know more of her story? Watch the video below:
Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023, sponsored by Perrier, will be revealed at an event in Hong Kong on 18th July at 8.30pm local time. The ceremony will be livestreamed on 50 Best Bars TV YouTube channel and 50 Best Bars Facebook page. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to stay up to date with all the news and announcements.
