Bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana on His Vintage Omega and Hip-Hop

Though he says he won’t jump out of a plane anytime soon, Ryan Chetiyawardana—the award-winning bartender and businessman behind the Mr Lyan hospitality empire—does like taking professional risks. “I think there’s something wonderful about being scared about things,” the 40-year-old says. “Being able to venture into the unknown is definitely part of my character.” 

It might be genetic. His parents immigrated to Manchester, then Birmingham, from Sri Lanka and raised their three children to pursue their own interests. (Friends and family called Ryan, the youngest of the trio, Lyan because it rhymes with his first name.) He initially trained as a chef but found the kitchen too restrictive. When a friend suggested he try bartending, something clicked. In 2013, he opened his first space, called White Lyan, in London. In short order, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were spotted sipping cocktails there; Björk signed on to DJ the bar’s first birthday party. But it wasn’t just a place to be seen: The drinks were so stellar that, in 2015, Chetiyawardana was named the world’s best bartender at the Spirited Awards. 

Eight venues, two recipe books, and several more trophies later, he’s still forging new paths. This spring, he launched the show Mr Lyan’s Taste Trips on Reach TV. Here’s what makes him raise a glass to the good life. 

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? 

I have a real fondness for people’s birthdays and a pretty good ability to remember them. I wake up, I’ll look at the date, and birthdays are the first thing that come into my head. I’ll go make a cup of tea and send someone a message. 

What’s the most recent thing you’ve done for the first time? 

I sent a voice note for the first time, and it was oddly personal. I use a lot of those [phone-based] communications in a very functional way, and to be able to send someone a voice note felt much more like a human interaction. 

What’s your favorite website? 

Vinterior, which is where you can look around for some beautiful midcentury-modern furniture pieces. That’s probably one of the key things I do when I want to be able to escape. 

What apps do you use the most on your phone? 

This is terrible to admit, but I have a horrific sense of direction. So, the thing that I use the most are ways to navigate and ways to document where I’ve been. City Mapper or Google Maps—I use them, really embarrassingly, in places I know intimately well. 

Who is your guru? 

It’s my sister Natasha. It’s funny when it’s a sibling, because you obviously have an admiration and a sense of pride in all that they do. But speaking objectively, she’s such a powerhouse. 

What do you crave most at the end of the day? 

It’s not that I crave a martini. I actually crave the moment it embraces. And I often describe it as one of life’s perfect moments: being able to share a martini with a loved one. 

What in your wardrobe do you wear most often? 

Aside from fairly loud trainers, I would say it’s scarves. There’s something I find very comforting about them, even on days where it’s not too blustery. 

Who is your dealer, and what do they source for you? 

Hugo Dale at Berry Bros. & Rudd. He sources really wonderful wine and whiskey for me… The other is my old landlord, a guy called Edgar Harden, who runs the Old Spirits Company. He essentially does house clearances for older estates, wealthy people, and comes across these old gems of bottles. 

What’s the most impressive dish you cook? 

[Even] having started my career as a chef, I still cook very homely food. One of my favorite things to make, and I used to do this at Christmas, is a pie. It’d often be a game pie or a kind of richer, British, comforting dish. 

What does success look like to you? 

Success to me is freedom. And I think the freedom in this form is about going, “How can we stay excited by things? How can we continue to explore new areas?” 

If you could learn a new skill, what would it be? 

I really wish I could juggle. 

How much do you trust your gut instinct? 

I follow my gut a lot. But a big part of the way that I love to create is in collaboration with people. I suppose it was trusting my gut to surround myself with really brilliant people. 

Are you wearing a watch? 

I’m wearing a vintage Omega. This is a watch I picked up as a young art student. I just remember being shocked by how beautiful it was. 

What car are you most attached to? 

My dad collected vintage cars when we were growing up, and I still recall the smell of his old 1978 Aston Martin DBS V-8 with such a fondness. 

Drive or be driven? 

Drive. I love driving. 

See Also

Waterford Whisky Is Likely to Close After Failing to Raise Funds

What’s your favorite hotel? 

Previously, I would have said the Pulitzer in Amsterdam. But I just came back from Sri Lanka, and I was at a property called Cape Weligama, and it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever stayed in my life. 

What’s always in your hand luggage? 

I usually have a hip flask of whiskey in my hold luggage, but in my hand luggage, I always have tea. 

What’s the last film you paid to see? 

Oh, God. I haven’t watched a movie in so long. I think it was Barbie. 

What was your last streaming binge? 

I’m not great for this, because I don’t watch a heap of TV, but lots of friends recommended Slow Horses to me, and I really enjoyed it. 

What sort of music makes you happy? 

The happiness comes from hip-hop. The way that it expresses current thought, current topics, the landscape, and the kind of feeling of what’s going around—it’s the punk of our time.