Named after miracle medicine developed by physician-scientist Alexander Fleming in the 1920s, Penicillin — a “closed-looped” bar in Central, Hong Kong — embodies something quite similar: a cure to the ever-growing problem of waste management in the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

Penicillin was a pandemic baby, so to speak. The great minds behind it, Agung Prabowo and Roman Ghale, brought the entire concept to life with their wives Laura Prabowo and Katy Ghale. Agung and Roman hold titan status in Hong Kong’s bar scene, having been with The Old Man Hong Kong — a mainstay on Asia’s 50 Best Bars and its first placer in 2019. In 2020, The Old Man Hong Kong placed second on the list; so when the duo opened Penicillin later that year, it created quite the buzz. People were curious to know what Agung and Roman were brewing this time around.

To everyone’s surprise, they put the spotlight on eco-forward practices in F&B. In fact, they did this so well, Penicillin was given the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award in 2021 by 50 Best and its sustainability partner, Food Made Good Global.

Rethink the rubbish bin

At the core of it, Agung tells 50 Best that the pandemic really pushed their reinvention and that he invites colleagues in the industry to “get to know the real meaning of sustainability.” Agung found this by committing to mindfulness; he always reminds his team to “think twice before putting anything in the rubbish bin.” After all, Penicillin operates on a closed-looped model, where the goal is to eliminate waste by reusing, recycling, and upcycling, and not breaking the rhythm. 

More and more, rethinking the rubbish bin became a way of life for the team at Penicillin. You’ll see it at the main bar, with wooden furnishings made from trees toppled over by past typhoons or items taken off the hands of restaurateurs who had to close shop. The rest of Penicillin’s closed-loop identity rests in its kitchen, laboratory, and fermentation room. The last two are where most of the magic happens; and by magic, we mean the science-based processes (like fermentation) through which food scraps are processed for ingredient reuse and safe consumption. 

The road to going “scrap-less”

On the road to minimising its carbon footprint by aiming to go “scrap-less,” Penicillin also paves the way for the invention of ingenious ingredients. Take, for example, upcycled vermouth and fruit pits that double as yummy ice cubes. In the same vein, Penicillin is no stranger to foraging for ingredients around Hong Kong and sourcing local as much as they can.

Taking things a step further, Penicillin partnered with ecoSPIRITS, a circular alcohol distributor based in Singapore that eradicates the need for single-use glass. Through ecoSPIRITS, Penicillin is able to cut back on the packaging waste. To top it all off: Scrap ingredients from Penicillin’s sister bar, Dead&, never go to waste because they’re transported directly to the former’s laboratory and fermentation room.

Who would have thought scrap cocktail ingredients could also star in bar chow? Pair your drinks with Penicillin’s roster of “Lab Food” — such as Ultrasonic Fries and Koji Fried Chicken (KFC) — to see how the dishes’ flavours live up to their groovy names. 

https://www.tripzilla.com/hktb-sustainable-businesses-hong-kong/131343