Meet Nel, who loved cocktails — especially martinis — so much that she left the corporate world behind to focus on running the cosy bar above her styling studio. Nel is the founder and owner of Kravat in Phnom Penh, one of Cambodia’s rising names in the cocktail scene. Her path to bartending was anything but conventional — she began in the corporate world, working in a life insurance company before her passion for cocktails inspired a bold career shift. What started as a hobb

Meet the effervescent Ronnie, whose background in entertainment sparked a colourful journey into bartending — eventually leading him to found a string of standout cocktail bars across Bangkok. Ronnaporn (or 'Ronnie') is the charismatic founder of Mahaniyom in Bangkok. Before stepping behind the bar, he was in front of the camera as an actor in the entertainment industry. His journey took a turn when a growing passion for cocktails led him to enter — and win — his very first c

From trained engineer to experimental bartender, Abhishek's rollercoaster journey into the cocktail world is nothing short of a series of entrepreneurial hustles. Abhishek is the gregarious force behind some of Singapore’s most beloved bars, including Sago House and The Spiffy Dapper. A serial entrepreneur with an unshakable drive, his path hasn’t been smooth — he’s weathered tough times, including going broke — but his perseverance and inventive spirit have kept him moving f

As a teen, Tamaryn wanted to be a tattoo artist, but an unexpected win at a bartending competition set her on a career path in the cocktail industry Tamaryn’s bartending journey began early in Thailand, where a strong showing at a cocktail competition sparked her passion for the craft. Alongside her love for mixology, she’s also drawn to the art of tattooing — a creative outlet that mirrors her expressive personality behind the bar. Since making her Netflix debut, Tamaryn’s s

One of the cocktail pioneers in the Southeast Asian region, Michael tells all about the Singapore scene, the sacrifice, and his charismatic cocktail shaking style Meet Michael — a tour de force behind the bar whose story began in San Francisco and took root in Singapore back in 2011. As the founding head bartender of 28 Hong Kong Street, he helped propel it onto the World’s 50 Best Bars list and, in doing so, put Singapore firmly on the global cocktail map. Now, more than a d

Meet the charismatic Italian bartender whose journey to a long-term career in Southeast Asia began with "Where is Singapore exactly?" Silvio’s journey behind the bar began as a part-time job during his student days in Napoli — a humble start that would eventually take him around the world. After hearing about Singapore at Tales of the Cocktail while working in London, he took a leap of faith and moved halfway across the globe to join its rising bar scene. Since then, his care