Holly Graham - Interview
The Woman Behind the Bar: Holly Graham's Journey
A chat with Holly Graham: The path to Tokyo and challenging Japan's bar culture
Interview: Félicie Zufferey
Credit: Millie Tang
Today, we delve into Holly Graham's journey - from her initial inspirations to relocating to Japan, challenging traditional bar norms, and balancing a frenetic lifestyle.
Holly Graham is the driving force behind Tokyo Confidential - a bar that has stirred the pot in Tokyo's nightlife since its opening on October 11th. Under the motto "Pull Up, 'Fess Up," Tokyo Confidential is more than a cocktail bar; it’s a space that encourages authenticity and challenges traditional bar culture.
In this interview, Holly pulls back the curtain on what it takes to make a splash in Tokyo. Tune in for a candid conversation that goes beyond the bar counter.
To kick off, could you rewind and talk about your personal journey to where you are today? What experiences influenced you to open Tokyo Confidential and choose its unique concept?
Holly Graham:
I used to work at The Old Man Hong Kong when it was at its prime, and I always loved the open communal bar. I knew that one day, I would want something that evoked that same convivial arrangement that encourages strangers to talk and mingle. I’m also a bit of a party thrower behind the bar, and my mentors and dear friends Agung Prabowo and Beckaly Franks have definitely had some influence on my mischief-making. I also take lots of inspiration from my travels – not necessarily ingredients – but from seeing how people do it in other countries and the quirks their bars may have. Hospitality-wise, I think it’s innate. My family always hosted people growing up, and my Mum is an excellent influence on my love for hospitality. She loves having people around and sharing food and drinks with them, making sure they’re well taken care of and fed and overwatered, ha!
Credit: Millie Tang
What were some of the most significant challenges you encountered, and how did you overcome them to get where you are today?
Holly Graham:
I didn’t come up through the normal F&B/hospitality route, instead growing my love for the industry through my career as a food and drink journalist, so it did take a while for me to earn my chops as a bartender, and fair play, everyone’s got to juice the lemons before they make a drink! I’m not saying it’s been easy by any means, but I can’t really recall specific challenges as I try to challenge myself every day. Perhaps that’s how I got to this point – I’ve always tried to keep my head above the water, but under the surface, my feet paddle full speed!
Can you talk about the challenges you faced in bringing a new vibe to Japan's traditional bar culture? What steps did you take to overcome them?
Holly Graham:
When I began sharing my ideas for Tokyo Confidential’s concept, many people told me Japanese people wouldn’t like the communal bar layout and more loose vibes. My response was how do you know if they’ve never seen it or been offered that experience before? So far, the reception has been amazing, so hopefully, I was right. I always wanted to fill a niche and provide something new and exciting rather than emulate something already done.
Credit: Millie Tang
You must be incredibly busy with the opening of Tokyo Confidential. Do you have any routines that help you stay mentally and physically grounded?
Holly Graham:
I am beyond exhausted – happy but exhausted – but I try and take a soak in the bath whenever I can, train at least three times a week at the gym, and try and get a sports massage once a week. It’s hard to keep a routine, but rather than put these things on the back burner, I jumped into them – as well as Japanese lessons – ASAP, as I don’t want to neglect them. It ain’t easy moving your life to a new country and opening a bar, but here I am!
Considering the integral role of music in your industry, what is the role of music in your daily routine? Which genres or artists are on your playlist these days?
Holly Graham:
Music is incredibly important to me and I put together a majority of the playlists for Tokyo Confidential, and the feedback has been great, which makes me so happy as music is very personal. Music is life, so much so that if I forget my headphones or they run out of battery, I’m bereft! My music taste is – at the risk of using a cliché – eclectic. At my heart, I’m an indie rock and roller metal head, but I have a penchant for disco, reggae, rap, and some electronica (I’m really picky about this). Anything with dirty bass, a filthy drop, or screaming guitars usually gets me going. At the moment, Queens of the Stone Age is life. Their current album In Times New Roman, will be the soundtrack that will remind me of opening Tokyo Confidential, as it’s what I’ve been constantly listening to to hype myself up in this initial opening phase.
Do you have any advice for outsiders trying to establish themselves in the Asian nightlife industry? Is there anything you wish you would have known?
Holly Graham:
Don't move to the country you're about to live in the day before site handover, ha! I wish I’d had at least an extra week to sort out general life admin/boring stuff, but I was living in Hong Kong before Japan, and my visa was delayed due to a week of some of the worst weather the city has had, meaning everything shut down. To be honest, there’s nothing I wish I’d have known, as we all learn every day, and the challenge of living abroad is the biggest reason I do it – I’d stagnate in the “norm.”
What are your hopes for the future of Tokyo Confidential and Tokyo nightlife in general?
Holly Graham:
I hope we can earn the respect of Tokyo and Japan’s fantastic bar community and be seen as a welcome addition to the city. I hope we can operate like a well-oiled machine and maintain our dream team so both the staff and guests are happy. My team’s happiness is almost more important because if they’re unhappy, how can they make our guests happy? I want to be a mentor – more when it comes to the emotional side of working in a bar rather than technical. I’m sure my staff can make drinks much better and faster than me!!
Credit: Millie Tang
Tokyo Confidential: 9th floor at THE V-CITY AZABU-JUBAN PLACE1-Chome-6-1 AZABU-JUBAN, MINATO, TOKYO