Queen of the MIX MASTERS

THAILAND’S Pailin Sajjanit has been named Southeast Asia World Class Bartender of the Year, out-mixing 28 other contenders from six countries in the region plus Taiwan in a competition hosted by Diageo at Alila Seminyak in Bali.
Three days of intense shake-offs saw the crown awarded to Pailin, who is group bar manager for Vesper and Il Fumo in Bangkok. She became the first woman bartender to earn the regional honour and goes on to compete in the global finals in Miami in September.
The Thai quartet of contenders in Bali together won the team competition. Waving the flag along with Pailin were Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn and Kitibordee Chortubtim from the Backstage Cocktail Bar and Pinsuda Pongprom from the Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental.
Represented at World Class mixing events since 2011, Thailand has moved fast, with credit going to its vibrant fine-dining scene.
The dual titles this year certainly make the Kingdom stand out on the Southeast Asian map even more.
In the individual round, Pailin caught the judges’ eyes (and palates) right from the start with a confident performance and great understanding of the flavours needed to make an outstanding tipple.
“This is a dream come true,” she said, adding a perhaps-unintended pun: “I’m still quite shaken from the whole experience!
Pailin said winning the title was “very humbling” because she was competing against the best in the business and being judged by “some of my heroes in the industry”.
“But I was inspired by the high standards of the talent around me and I can’t wait to represent Southeast Asia and showcase my creations in the finals later this year.”
She’s been to the regional round twice before, ending up 16th in her first attempt in 2014 and getting into the final four last year. This time she blew the judges away, also winning the Local Flavours Challenge with the dazzling creative drink Thai Thai, made with Ketel One Vodka, dry vermouth infused with fermented rice (khao mak), coconut oil, osmanthus flower and kaffir lime. It perfectly encapsulated the unique tastes of Thailand.
“My style isn’t so much about presentation, such as using smoke, ornaments and whatnot,” she said. “What I really care about is the flavour and getting it right, so that the cocktails are truly memorable.
“I also like making classic cocktails a lot – they’re very interesting and have a lot of fun elements to work around.”
Pailin graduated in hospitality management at Bangkok University and planned a career running hotels, but then she fell in love with bartending.
She took a few courses and was soon behind the bar at such high-profile establishments as the W Hotel and Sofitel So Bangkok.
Now 28 and working at Vesper and Il Fumo, she’s been identified as one of the scene’s fastest-evolving newcomers, with superb knowledge of cocktail culture to match her managerial know-how.
“To be a good bartender you need experience and exposure, besides the passion, of course,” Pailin said. “You can only learn so much in school. It’s the experience that shapes your career and really hones your skills.
“That’s why I tried World Class, even though I only had a year or so of experience. I wanted to get out there and see what was going on in the global scene and learn from world-class professionals. I always get a lot of useful advice from the judges, who are world-renowned mixologists and cocktail gurus.”