Jimmy, founder of Raw+Atelier in Ho Chi Minh City, has come a long way from the flashy flair bartending days. These days, he’s all about working flair – functional movements and techniques that make service smoother while adding energy and theater to the guest experience. For Jimmy, every guest that comes into his bar has to feel that they're getting their money's worth.

"Nothing is certain except death and taxes." Danny Tun, a Burmese bartender based in Malaysia, built this cocktail on a sour template to showcase how amaro-based cocktails can stay structured, layered, and complex. Ingredients: 30ml Campari 30ml Cynar 15ml Elderflower Liqueur 15ml Fresh Lemon Juice 1 dash Celery Bitters Garnish with lemon peel coin Method: Combine all ingredients into a shaker, shake vigorously, and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon coin.

Back pain might be the headline complaint among bartenders, but it’s far from the only one. Christina Neo, a physiotherapist in Singapore who treats a steady stream of bar industry clients, sees just as much wear and tear in the shoulders, neck, elbows, and knees. These all come from the same repetitive, physical work that makes the job look effortless from the other side of the bar. Most of it builds up slowly. A bartender shaking drinks all night isn’t thinking about their

For Chong Hau of The Nest Cocktail Bar in Penang, his signature Hojicha Sour is only half the experience. Inspired by a love of smoky hojicha, the cocktail balances roasted tea notes with bright yuzu, but it's served alongside a piece of grilled tatami iwashi (Japanese whitebait). The savory bite transforms the drink, bringing out the smoky depth of the hojicha while making the citrus notes pop. It's a reminder that sometimes, the perfect cocktail pairing isn't another drink.

Ask any physiotherapist who treats bar staff what the number one complaint is, and you’ll get the same answer every time: the back. Christina Neo, a physiotherapist in Singapore who sees a steady stream of bartenders in her practice, says about 70% of her bar-industry patients come in with back pain. It’s not even close; nothing else cracks the top spot. Most bartenders push through it for as long as they can. A physio visit costs money, and finding time for a prescribed exer

Ask any bartender which drink they're most nervous to make in front of their peers, and don't be surprised if the answer is a daiquiri. Not a twelve-ingredient tiki build, not a stirred-down Martinez, but a daiquiri. Rum, lime, sugar. That's it. And that simplicity is exactly why it's become the industry's quiet benchmark for skill. Born in a Mine, Not a Bar The daiquiri didn't start life in a glamorous cocktail lounge. It was born in 1898 near the town of Daiquirí, close to

Taln of Bar Us and Messenger Service in Bangkok recalls the moment she realized that the value of a cocktail isn't just about what's in the glass – it's also about the vibe and design of the space it's consumed in. She explains how their first bar complaint at a hostel they ran became the catalyst for their first award-winning bar: Messenger Service. Taking what they've learned, they then opened Bar Us. With a background in product design – she and partner Aum, who's also a d

Shirmy Chan of Bar Terumi in KL shares the latest evolution of her Dry Vodka Martini - a study in precision, patience, and temperature control. With only the barest touch of vermouth, the spotlight stays firmly on the vodka. The real magic, however, lies in her two-step dilution process, designed to achieve the ideal balance of chill and flavor. It's a reminder that when it comes to Martinis, the smallest details often make the biggest difference. Ingredients: 60ml Vodka Spl

After 15 years in the industry, Rohan Matmary has worn many hats, with one of them being the co-founder of KL Cocktail Week, helping shape and grow Malaysia’s cocktail culture. For the India-born bar professional, great drinks are only part of the equation. He's equally passionate about educating consumers on cocktail appreciation: what to drink, when to drink it, and where certain cocktails shine best. Because sometimes, enjoying a cocktail as it was intended can completely

Steve Schneider, founder of Employees Only Singapore (and a partner of Sip&Guzzle in NYC), unpacks the evolution of a bartending career, explaining why you don't often see lifelong bartenders behind the stick. Many don't leave the industry; they simply evolve into new roles, becoming bar owners, brand ambassadors, or taking on other positions within the drinks world. His own journey is proof. What began behind the bar in New York's Employees Only eventually took him halfway a

Shochu is one of those spirits people think they understand until they actually have to explain it. Then suddenly it becomes “Japanese vodka,” “strong sake,” “something like soju,” or my personal favorite: “that clear thing Japanese uncles drink with hot water.” All understandable. All slightly wrong. Shochu is Japan’s native distilled spirit. It is built on koji fermentation, regional ingredients, and centuries of drinking culture. It can be made from barley, rice, sweet pot

In Myanmar before smartphones and the internet, small street tea shops were more than just places to drink tea; they were where people gathered with friends, where neighborhoods connected. It wouldn’t be wrong to call them a second home. As a whisky lover, Chester Smith of Xu Cantonese Restaurant & Bar in Dubai reconnects with his childhood and cultural roots with One Tea. This cocktail brings together whisky with Burmese black tea, combined with honey to enhance the richness

Boey from Round in Penang takes on one of the most famous cocktails in the world: the Vesper. Made famous by James Bond, this boozy Martini variation swaps dry vermouth for Lillet Blanc and adds vodka alongside gin for extra punch. While Bond famously ordered his shaken, Boey prefers to stir his Vesper instead, giving him greater control over dilution and letting the spirit-forward character shine through. Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Vodka 10ml Lillet Blanc Lemon peels Meth

In a region known for its tropical climate, where temperatures rarely dip below 25°C and drinkers often gravitate towards refreshing highballs, fruity sours, and easy-drinking spritzes, bartenders have become increasingly obsessed with one of the world's most austere cocktails: the martini. Served ice-cold, crystal clear, and often consisting of little more than spirit and fortified wine, the martini appears to be the antithesis of what Southeast Asia drinks. Yet from Singapo

Shawn Chong of Bar Mizukami in KL demonstrates the art of the Japanese-style Dry Martini - a drink that takes minimalism to the extreme. With a striking 12–15:1 ratio of gin to vermouth (it's usually 6:1), the secret isn’t a fancy ingredient or hidden technique, but a long, deliberate stir that refines the cocktail to perfection. Call it technique, call it craftsmanship, or call it zen - the result is a Martini that’s crisp, elegant, and unmistakably Japanese (and very dry).

Kaung Zaw of COYA in Dubai brings us a twist of the iconic Burmese cocktail, the Classic Pegu Club, by adding the flavors of ripe mango and Burmese red chili-infused gin. You can feel the ripe mango tropical aroma and slightly spicy taste from Burmese chili. Ingredients: 35ml Mango Chili Gin 15ml Cointreau 15ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Simple syrup (2:1) 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash Orange bitters Garnish with mango wedge with Tajin powder Make the Mango Chili Gin: 700ml

Created by Esmeralda Castrogionvanni of Atlas in Singapore, The Doe is a light and floral cocktail where vodka is combined with peach and jasmine. Drawing from Esmeralda’s Southern Italian roots, the cocktail rounds out with Passito, a sun-dried dessert wine, which lends a gentle, refined sweetness. The cocktail is inspired by flowers, hence is served in an elegant tulip glass, a nod to its floral flavor profile, and garnished with aromatic gel and delicate edible flowers alo

Mie of Bangkok's The Parlour makes a Manhattan riff as a canvas for the Leaf of Shan. In her hometown of Kalaw, nestled in the cool hills of Shan State, tea is more than just a drink – it’s the heart of hospitality. If you visit any home or tea shop in Kalaw, a warm pot of tea is always waiting for you. Their most cherished tradition is sipping Sticky Rice Tea while nibbling on jaggery (traditional palm sugar). This cocktail infuses rye whiskey with the same sticky rice tea l

Shen, founder of the iconic Backdoor Bodega in Penang, shares the cocktail that’s become synonymous with the bar: the Georgetown Gimlet.

Published in 1920, What to Drink: The Blue Book of Beverages by Bertha E. L. Stockbridge is, at first glance, a drinks manual defined by the lack of alcohol; there are no wines, spirits, or liqueurs that are typically found in beverage books of the era. The context is crucial. The book emerges in the same year as Prohibition in the United States, when the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol had just been outlawed. Rather than resisting this shift outright, Stockbrid