Cotton Ding
17岁那年在家乡擦皮鞋。
20岁那年在上海一个电子工厂流水线工作。
22岁那年学习调酒，同时在广州美院学习设计。
24岁那年重返上海，做调酒师。
26岁那年开第一家Cotton's棉花酒吧。
Memorable photos about the Cotton's
时至如今，安亭路和新华路上两家花园洋房的棉花酒馆里，除了美食，美酒，以及美好的环境，更有棉花小姐人生哲学：温暖，毅力，正能量，积极拥抱生活所赋予的一切！
人生是那样奇妙的行程。每一段路，不管有多少艰辛。而我一直沒心沒肝的快乐。
那份快乐，仿佛是阳光。沒有任何东西可以阻挡阳光不是吗？而棉花就是温暖，就是做那份无法抵挡的阳光。
正是有过同样的生活经历，以及拥有同样对美好生活的梦想，棉花小姐用自己的故事，去引导和激励每一位棉花家庭的员工，不管我们有怎样的出身和背景，只要坚持理想，微笑的对待每一天，你就是生活中的那朵棉花。
棉花的花语：珍惜眼前人。棉花的人生哲学，也伴随着很多客人，一同成长。见证着这些挚友生活中的每一次激动和喜悦的瞬间，对棉花小姐来说，都是无比的荣耀。
这里，是美食之家，友情之家；是学术论坛，校友会，国际俱乐部；是任何懂得生活品质和分享快乐的人的世外桃源。
My journey from shining shoes in Hunan province to a proud owner of two of Shanghai’s most popular bars is one that continues to make me smile. After more than two decades of mixing cocktails, swapping stories and sharing my passion, it's a pleasure to support the strongest asset of the Cotton’s brand: its stellar staff!
The Cotton's story started in 1997 when I was 17-years old. Having just left high school, I was enjoying my first taste of the world of work. From shining shoes in my hometown in Hunan province, to the assembly line of a factory, to working as a waitress in Guangzhou, believe me, I’ve done it all!
At 22, after three years of little sleep, careful time management and an even tighter budget, I graduated from university with a major in design. Jobs were few and far between, so in 2002 I relocated to Shanghai where I began working as a bartender.
The experience uncovered a genuine passion for people, hospitality - and quite possibly the best mojito you’ll ever taste! After just seven months, I launched my very first bar in 2003. On New Year’s Eve 2005, the stars aligned and I opened the doors to my beautiful Anting Lu villa. Leafy Xinhua Lu followed soon after, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Fast forward more than two decades, and I’m now the owner of two gorgeous bars. Much more than simply places to enjoy fantastic drinks and great food, I've done my utmost to imbue the Cotton’s brand with my personal philosophy: warmth, inner strength, embracing whatever life has to offer, and above all, positive energy!
To me, that means nurturing young talent, and a focus on whole person development. Whether staff starts with extensive experience or none, fluent English or limited, all want a better life. I’ve been there, I understand, and am incredibly proud of each and every one of them. Be they front-of-house, or in the kitchen cooking up a storm, I share my story with all new Cotton’s recruits, and sincerely wish for all of them the same happiness and success I’ve enjoyed.
These personal tenets extend to guests, too, many of whom have gone on to become lifelong friends. It’s an honor to be a witness and backdrop to their milestones - be it birthdays, proposals, and increasingly, weddings - and I’m proud to put my name to destinations that, for many, play an integral part in Shanghai’s rich tapestry.
A place for community and exchange, Cotton’s hosts everything from drinks with friends, meet-ups for a world of international Chambers in Shanghai, and regular get-togethers for world-class alumni. With lush gardens, as well as feature fireplaces come wintertime, these are bars for all seasons, and for all rhythms of life.
