It started with White Lyan. When it first opened in 2013, Ryan Chetiyawardana revolutionised the cocktail scene by eschewing the use of perishables—no ice, fruits, and garnishes—all in the bid to prioritise sustainability.

His efforts proved fruitful; White Lyan garnered the Best New Bar in the World award from Tales of the Cocktail Foundation the following year. Chetiyawardana's innovations into sustainability further redefined his career. With accolades like Imbibe's Innovator of the Year(2014, 2016) and the launch of many bars, Chetiyawardana continues to be a fierce advocate for sustainability.

Recently, in town to promote Belvedere 10 via a masterclass (about luxury martinis, natch), we took the opportunity to talk to the multi-hyphenated award-winning bartender, author, and consultant.

How did your association with Belvedere Vodka come about?

I've been close to the brand for several years, but I have also been a passionate champion of the vodka category (and that of the evolution of luxury). I was super excited by Belvedere exploring a brand new showcase of the vodka world, and to really push into something that redefined the idea of a luxury vodka. I've been friends with the team for a long time, so hearing firsthand from Mike [Foster, Belvedere Vodka's global trade engagement & customer experience manager] and [others] about how the product came to life was super exciting.

You applied Belvedere 10’s historic 1910 recipe for your martinis.

I wanted to translate the story of the product into something delicious, and something that could really demonstrate the unique facets of Belvedere 10.

My focus was to talk about scarcity, luxury and provenance so combined it with other single-origin products, but also looked to lift both sides of the spirit. There's the rich weight and texture and cacao notes, as well as the cleaner, bright citrus aspects. Given the body of the vodka, a martini made perfect sense as a canvas to do this. I wanted something that balanced rich storytelling with something that pushed what a martini could behave like.

What’s something that didn’t work out but profoundly impacted your career?

We purposefully leave a lot of room in our work to allow for failure—it's a key part of R&D. From a business point of view, these failures are teachable moments. From being insensitive about how I told the team we were going to close/evolve Dandelyan, to launching products hoping the premise and flavour alone would carry them through to investing too much into a development before gauging the right return timelines.

A good idea is meaningless if you can't connect people to it, and trying to force the timing will inevitably end in failure.

What's an unexpected fact people don't know about you?

That the balance of arts and sciences has been a constant in my style. I have also been very open about my belief in learning from as wide a range of sources as possible. How everything from my time in the kitchens to how you run aseptic technique in a lab has influenced my movements behind the bar.

I didn't realise until it was pointed out by my siblings was the influence of music (how I hold things) and kung fu (the steps used to move between points) have shaped the way I bartend.

Who would you collaborate with outside the food and drink industry?

We always used Grace Jones as our inspirational character when we developed Lyaness (especially after having served her as a young bartender). And I always wanted to make a drink for David Bowie.

But I'm always fascinated by those in any field who look at the world differently, and there are many that fulfil these spots. I think there's scope for a truer collaboration when you have a sense of connection. Like Isamaya Ffrench, who is friends with my sisters and does some super cool, and very diverse work; it would be very fun to collaborate with her.

How do you create the ideal atmosphere in your bars?

It's all about the people. Of course, we spend so much working with Jacu Strauss from an interior design perspective, and with friends on the music and programming. We work on our graphic design with Magpie Studio but the part that really brings things to life is the team; we work hard to give them the structures and confidence to be themselves.

What was your first martini experience like?

I was so blown away by the sophistication, elegance and style of it. Even though I didn't understand it, I found it beautiful, nonetheless.

Are there any cocktail trends you see that are problematic to the industry?

There's a homogenisation where people are erasing their own personalities to chase what's popular, or what would get them awards or recognition. The brandification of all things in an "all things to all people" approach is not only boring, it's dangerous.

How would you create a drink menu if the budget, ingredient sources, and resources were limitless?

[We'll keep to] the same process that we currently do. But it would be amazing to give everyone—our graphic design partners, our teams, those who source ingredients, glassware, etcetera—free reign to really push their ideas.

I believe in creative restriction, but there's also something amazing that happens when you allow ideas to snowball (not just go for bling) and money alleviates pressures around this.

What’s the most unexpected or unconventional inspiration for a drink you’ve ever had?

The first time Dave Broom gave me ambergris. It was totally different to any ingredient that I'd ever encountered. It's magical and speaks to time, boundaries and connection in a totally unique manner.

In your opinion, what do you expect to see in the cocktail industry in 2025?

I'm hoping for more focus on a sense of locality—both in terms of ingredients and sense of place. But also in terms of outlook, culture and style.

What's a question you wished someone had asked you?

"Can I help you with that?"