Ryan Chetiyawardana: About the Award-Winning Mixologist

Ryan Chetiyawardana is an international bartender, mixologist, and bar founder. In 2015, he was named the International Bartender of the Year by the Tales of the Cocktail foundation. Ryan is one of the most innovative bartenders working today and advocates for more sustainability and low waste in the world of cocktails. (The menu at his first bar, White Lyan, had no ice or perishables.)

Ryan’s cocktail bars include London’s White Lyan and Dandelyan; the latter earned topped the World's 50 Best Bars list in 2019. (White Lyan and Dandelyan are no longer in operation, but Dandelyan reopened in 2019 as Lyaness.) Ryan also owns the bars Super Lyan in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Silver Lyan in Washington, DC.

From fun nicknames to making cocktails with pig’s blood, here are some surprising facts about Ryan:

1. 1. His nickname is Mr. Lyan. The moniker comes from when he was a child in Birmingham, UK. The kids would mispronounce the name “Ryan,” making it sound like “lion.” The nickname stuck, and now all of Ryan’s bars are a play on the name “Lyan.”
2. 2. He studied arts and sciences. At Central St. Martins and Edinburgh University, Ryan studied fine arts, biology, and philosophy. His fascination with biology dovetails with his interest in cocktails. “I first got really intrigued by the kind of biology of how we taste,” Ryan says. “How can we explore flavors? Why do we react to them the way that we do? And what can we use to kind of understand some of that biology to really try and find new, unexpected, and more delicious ways of creating flavor?”
3. 3. He believes cocktails are an experience. Food and cocktails are of a piece for Ryan, and both are essential tools for bringing people together to experience life. “It's a manner in which we can use this as a tool alongside things like our beautiful homes, our music that we love, and the things that we've been interested in that we've seen traveling around the world,” Ryan says. “How can we use that as a way of helping people gather together and helping them have a much better time?”
4. 4. He has a method for arranging a cocktail menu. In his bars, Ryan arranges his cocktail menus in a very particular way, not just by the type of base liquor but also by mood. “We use a map. It dots it out from light to dark,” he says. “So if you want something that's a bit cleaner and brighter or something that feels a little bit more like a warm hug, it can help you choose alongside that scale.”
5. 5. He’s a fan of unusual ingredients. Ryan believes in using seasonal ingredients and local ingredients for his cocktails. “I've been a fan of using some kind of unusual ingredients, rare ingredients,” he says, “things that really help push our boundaries of what our tastes can be and what our comfort zones can be.” For example, the menu at Lyanness features cocktails with blood curaçao (a combination of pig’s blood and orange) and green sauce liquor (a combination of green herbs, sour fruit, and mushrooms). Ryan is also a fan of using fermentation ingredients, such as yeast.

Ryan and Lynette will teach you how to tap into your inner bartender. You can expect these five highlights and more exclusively on MasterClass:

1. 1. Enjoy a cocktail for one. Ryan will teach you how to make a Mojito, the perfect drink for one. From how to properly muddle mint to how to build the drink in a glass—no cocktail shaker necessary. “It's something that's ideal to sip when you need something just to kick back after a long day, and it's really magical for making you feel like you're on a tropical island,” Ryan says.
2. 2. Focus on what you have. You do not need a fancy bartending kit to make cocktails at home. Instead, Ryan recommends using what you have on hand to mix and shake your cocktails. “You can make things using jam jars or teapots or even using paintbrushes and chopsticks to stir your drinks,” he says. “This isn't about having to have lots of expensive or fanciful equipment.”
3. 3. Get the ratios right. Cocktails are not about following strict recipes. Instead, it’s about proportions, which you can use any measurement vessel you have on hand, such as a shot glass, egg cups, teaspoons, or tablespoons. “It makes sure that everything's in check,” Ryan says. “You don't have too much sweetness, too much acidity, too much of the strength of the alcohol coming through.”
4. 4. Mix some party drinks. Ryan will teach you how to make cocktails to impress your friends at a party, including his classy take on the classic Bloody Mary. This drink, dubbed the Lyan Mary, contains an unusual ingredient that will push its flavor to new heights. As Ryan puts it, the Lyan Mary is “not a boozy soup. It's about having something layered, complex, still feels adult.”
5. 5. Saber a champagne bottle. When making Ryan’s Bottled Fizz, a variation of a French 75, you can saber the top of a champagne bottle as the ultimate party trick. Sabering champagne is “a really easy way of adding a bit of theatrics to the mix,” Ryan says. Learn how to prep the bottle, identify the seam, and use a blade to remove the cork.

To learn more about preparing libations and experimenting with ingredients, consider the following classes:

1. 1. Dominique Crenn on modern vegetarian cooking: Dominique Crenn is one of the most celebrated chefs in the world, known for her three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Atelier Crenn. Watch Dominique’s class and download the corresponding Class Guide to learn about sustainable ingredients, various ways to prepare vegetables, and how to make a Kir Breton, a cocktail featuring hard apple cider and crème de cassis.
2. 2. James Suckling on wine appreciation: James Suckling is a wine master, journalist, and critic. Watch James’s class to learn about viticulture, tasting techniques, and wine etiquette.
3. 3. Wolfgang Puck on cooking: Wolfgang Puck is a James Beard Foundation Award–winning restaurateur and one of the world’s most successful chefs. Take Wolfgang’s class to learn how to develop your palate, cook recipes, and mix classic cocktails, including his take on the Negroni and a Peach Bellini.

If you are ready to make impressive cocktails at home, stock up your liquor cabinet. Discover Ryan Chetiyawardana’s approach to mixology, crafting cocktails, sourcing ingredients, and more when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.