All shook up
After wrapping up its 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur, the Bar Awards 2018 are heading back to Bangkok and the action-packed festival kicks off with the signature opening party on February 12 with eight to 12 international guest bartenders shaking their finest cocktails.
The programmes include talks looking at tackling the city’s bar business development hurdles, followed by a revamped picnic now known as the Cocktail Carnival. Consumers can also look forward to various guest shifts around town, and to close the festival, an after party hosted by Bangkok F&B industry’s favourite late night haunt, Smalls.
The lineup of bar personalities visiting the Thai capital to celebrate with the Bangkok community include Kuala Lumpur’s own Rick Joore of Mr Chew’s Chino Latino Bar (the winner for Best Restaurant Bar) and Kho Chee Kheong “CK” of Coley, the most awarded bar of The Bar Awards 2017 campaign. Coley took home three awards including Best Hospitality Team, Bartender of the Year (Kho Chee Kheong “CK”) and Best Cocktail Bar at the Kuala Lumpur awards.
From Hong Kong, The Old Man (one of HK’s newest and most anticipated new bar opening in 2017) comes visiting via industry legend, Agung Prabowo. Last but not least, guests will see The Bar Awards Singapore 2017 Bartender of the Year, Vijay Mudaliar, the owner/bartender of Native (also the winner of the Most Creative Cocktail Bar) coming to show his love for local ingredients and innovative cocktails.
The Bar Awards Bangkok festival is set to be the city’s biggest celebration of elevated drinking and cocktails. But before then, the Bar Awards is calling for nominations for your favourite bars and bartenders. Visit www.TheBarAwards.com/nominate to cast your nomination for any establishment or personality you deemed worthy of recognition.
The Categories for Bangkok 2018 are as follow;
- The Rising Star for the best bartender that recently joined the F&B industry that is 28 year old or younger
- Best Restaurant Bar for the best beverage and bar team in a restaurant
- Best Beer Bar for an establishment with the most exciting beer collection (not necessarily the largest) and the best beer drinking experiences
- Best Wine Bar for an establishment with the most exciting wine collection (not necessarily the largest) and best wine drinking experiences
- Best Hotel Bar for the best beverage and bar team in a hotel
- Best Bangkok Institution (new category) for a bar that is five years old or older that has cemented a loyal and cult following for their bar experience
- Best Hospitality Ambassador for the individual that provides the best hospitality for their guests
- Best Hospitality Team for the team that provides the best hospitality for their guests
- Most Creative Cocktail Program for the bar team that puts time and effort into creating the most innovative, unique and exciting collection of cocktails
- Best New Bar for the best establishment that has opened for one year or less
- Bartender of the Year for the best bartender, role model, leader, mentor and all-round good person
- Bar of the Year for the best bar in Bangkok
For more information on the awards, visit www.TheBarAwards.com.
