Bartenders

Origin Bar Singapore bartender interview: Today’s consumers are eager to explore new flavours and experiences, actively seeking novelty in what they drink. This extends to people being much more open to experimental and unconventional cocktail concepts than in the past; all according to Head Bartender Pranisa ‘Niza’ Treechanasin, in Singapore, who elaborates on the what the factors are behind this development and increased interest in inventive, craft cocktails.

It’s an amazing moment in time for bar culture – undoubtedly more exciting than ever before in history. And now in this region also with the Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards lifting the scene to new heights. The more one covers, and discovers, the bar and cocktail scene these days, the more exhilarating and intriguing it gets! Scratch below the surface and you’ll uncover how this scene – including a craft cocktail movement – entails a profusion of art, design and culture interconnected to it – aside the pleasure of the actual imbibing. New spirits are being launched onto the market in abundance. It’s n ever-evolving, growing and also highly competitive cocktail bar sector daring to break new ground, and contesting to come up with attractive and innovative signature menus! And for hotels the lobby bar is not any longer just a must-have but something that means key business in terms of contributing to revenue and visitors, also placing high expectations on the creative skills and customer success from the bartenders’ skills within the scene.

Bartender (or mixologist) Niza is one of those, and who clearly has succeeded in climbing the ranks and delivering at prestigious bars in Bangkok as well as Singapore. And while gender as a topic is normally not something Happy Hour Asia uses to classify anything, it certainly caught our attention to find a Thai female in such a sought-after role abroad at the five-star Shangri-La Singapore’s flagship bar! And behind the bar is actually a female trio, as there are also two more foreign female bartenders aside herself upon our visit!

It’s such a delight talking to Niza, who speaks with enthusiasm and radiates happiness relating to her life and career success so far within bar culture – born out of genuine passion.

“As a Thai woman, leading the team as Head Bartender at Origin Bar in Singapore, I feel incredibly proud. I don’t know how to describe the feelings. I’m really happy and honoured to get the opportunity be part of this team and to also be a leader here. Origin Bar has a fantastic and strong team with a clear vision for growth. However, with this position comes significant challenges as well. I’ve had in-depth conversations with my bosses, Adam Busik and Nicholas Leung, about the goals I wanted to achieve. Fortunately, we were all aligned in the same direction, with a shared ambition to make it into Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2024. Together, we worked hard and successfully achieved that goal together,” she shares.

Adam Bursik is Shangri-La’s Director of Beverage and Nicholas Leung the Executive Assistant Manager F&B.

Origin Bar Singapore bartender journey

Niza’ journey from Thailand to the urban resort Shangri-La Singapore can serve as inspiration to many others. Regarding taking the leap and being passionate about what one wants to do in life, and that dreams indeed can really be realised – she serves as living proof of this.

It all started off ten years ago with Niza’s love affair with cocktails, where she was harassing the bartenders in her hometown Bangkok with too many questions, relating to the magic formula behind making those drinks, and how one could learn the trade.

“I instantly fell in love with the craft of making cocktails – the way bartenders could create drinks felt like magic to me. Coincidentally, the first bar I worked at was the same place where I had my very first cocktail.”

Eventually, one of the bar owners gave in to this inquisitive guest , named Ms. Niza coming to the bar, 1881 by Water Library.

‘Hey, young girl, so you are really interested in making cocktails?’ he told her, upon which Niza barely could control herself. The bar owner offered her to come and work for him and learn the job for free, and even get paid for the work.

“At that time, I was doing a marketing job daytime and at 7 pm, I started my bartender shift. I didn’t feel tired at all, finishing work 2 am in the morning and waking up early for my day job. But after one year I decided that I wanted to focus on doing only the bartending job. After two years I got approached by Park Hyatt Hotel Bangkok to join their pre-opening team. During my time there, I was promoted to be F&B Specialist.”

“Later, I had the opportunity to be part of the opening of another new hotel in Bangkok, Capella Bangkok, where I took on the role of Head Bartender and Bar Manager, overseeing two outlets. It was a more challenging role, but one that I embraced fully.”

But when Covid-19 hit things changed and Niza was later offered a chance to work in Singapore for a new project called Eclipse by BDC.

The way this happened was that someone found Niza on Instagram and tried to contact her there about this bar role they wanted to offer in Singapore.

“This marked an exciting new chapter in my career and I worked for them for 1.5 years, until I found that the restaurant was not really my type.”

But her Singapore adventure was far from over: “I had met Adam Bursik, and learned that they were looking for bar team members, and I deemed that the team would be suitable for me and my passions. I keep being very picky when it comes to choosing a job and who I am working for because it’s like choosing your home. You spend more time at work than at home.”

Origin Bar Singapore bartender lady trio

When it comes to the possible perception that the bartender job is a male-dominated profession, this is probably changing. Says Niza: “It’s true that bartending has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated profession, but I’m really excited to see more and more women stepping into the role and thriving. In my experience, the industry is evolving, and there’s a growing recognition of talent, regardless of gender. As a woman in this field, I’ve faced my share of challenges, but I’ve also received incredible support and opportunities. I believe diversity only strengthens the industry – different perspectives bring fresh ideas, creativity, and a unique approach to hospitality. Ultimately, bartending is about skills, passion, and connection with people, and I’m proud to be part of this positive shift where more women are taking the lead behind the bar.”

“At Origin Bar I have another two female team members; one from Korea another one from Japan. And I think that today, if you look around the world, you’ll see that we are getting more and more female bartenders. I think male bartenders are still needed as well, where we need to have a balance. Some male bartenders are very good, while some female bartenders I’d say are more detailed.”

At Origin Bar such a dynamic team of mixologists bring to the table their unique interpretations of cocktails, infused with cultural influences and innovative techniques.

It is at the same time challenging, since women – Niza points out – are expected to do the same duties in the bar that men do, such as carrying heavy boxes with bottles and lifting bar kegs.

At the time of Happy Hour Asia’s visit to Origin Bar (in 2024) its ‘Infinity’ cocktail concept menu presents no less than eighteen innovative cocktail concoctions inspired by “ideas re-imagined into far-fetched cocktail concepts from our bartenders’ perspectives.”

The Infinity menu is all about storytelling and creativity, according to Niza. And with it the Shangri-La bar invites guests to embark on a journey of discovery, where imagination knows no bounds, and every sip is a revelation – an experimental and innovative approach that appeal to many these days. The bar visit is for many expected be an adventurous experience.

This concept menu is changed yearly, which means that there is ongoing brainstorming and where new drinks are constantly under development for the next menu to be launched.

“We are conducting R&D because it takes a whole year to create one menu, so we start identifying the idea and brainstorm for next year’s menu early on – it’s an ongoing thing.”

Niza says that they travel frequently abroad to gather inspiration, collect ideas, and look at drink trends elsewhere. As part of this they also do guest shifts in other bars.

“We do brain storming sessions and always start by coming up with a clear concept for the menu, so we know the direction of the drinks. This ensures every bartender creates cocktails with the same vision in mind. When developing signature drinks, the most important things to consider are balance, originality, and guest experience. Each ingredient must work in harmony. For me, a great cocktail has a perfect balance and a flavour profile that’s easy to understand. When you drink it, you shouldn’t have to think too hard about the flavours – you should simply enjoy each sip.”

For guests it depends on having good company as well, and in a nice environment with good service – talking to the bartender and letting know your flavour favourite profile – I think that’s all part of “a good drink.”

“And a great cocktail isn’t just about taste, but also about creating a memorable experience that leaves a lasting impression that resonates with the guest long after they’ve left the bar,” she continues.

Pushing creative boundaries: Origin Bar Singapore bartender

As for originality, she believes that today’s consumers are much more open to experimental and unconventional cocktail concepts than in the past.

“Several key factors are driving this trend:

• Curiosity and Openness: People are eager to explore new flavours and experiences, actively seeking novelty in what they drink. This curiosity encourages bartenders to push creative boundaries with ingredients, techniques, and presentations.
• Increased Exposure: With the growth of social media and global travel, consumers are exposed to a wide range of cocktail trends from around the world. Cocktails have also become a popular accessory for social media photos, further encouraging innovation in presentation and design.
• Craft Cocktail Movement: The craft cocktail revolution has educated consumers about the art and complexity of drinks. The industry is growing, as seen by prestigious awards like the 50 Best Bars, where bartenders work tirelessly to create exceptional experiences.
• Personalisation and Storytelling: People increasingly enjoy personalized experiences, especially when a cocktail comes with a story – whether it’s tied to cultural inspiration, historical references, or modern techniques.
• Health-Conscious Alternatives: With rising interest in health and wellness, there’s a growing demand for low-alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktails. This opens up new opportunities for experimenting with unique flavours, using herbs, spices, and other natural ingredients.

In short, modern consumers not only appreciate experimental cocktails but actively seek them out for the creative and artistic experiences such drinks offer.”

“Nowadays, with everyone being on social media, cocktails have become your accessory as well. You grab the drink on the table and post a photo on Instagram. So, we have to know our customers when we create our strategy,” adds Niza.

As an example, one cocktail on the Infinity menu is made to exactly resemble a candle in a glass jar – which is something that guests will most certainly remember.

Another Infinity cocktail (where there was a strong emphasis on various cocktail techniques to achieve flavour precision) representing originality surely must be ‘Ma To Ma To’, which contains distilled ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, green tomato cordial with the smokiness of Mezcal, and a finishing touch of fragrant roasted sesame and seaweed!

“Guests get kind of surprised about those flavours because some of the them don’t like tomato ketchup at all. But they like our drink anyhow, because we do tomato ketchup distilling and get a clear liquid. It’s really savoury and a best-seller for this bar!”

Mezcal belongs to the agave spirits, like Tequila or Raicilla, that offer rich, complex flavours and a unique character. For that very reason they are Niza’s favourite spirits.

The possibilities in cocktail-making today, she agrees, are endless: “Bartenders can draw inspiration from nearly anything – local ingredients, global cuisines, or even personal experiences. This openness allows for limitless creativity, and with new techniques and sustainable practices, we can experiment with a wide range of flavours, textures, and presentations to create truly unique drinks. And we not only look to food for inspiration but everything can give us ides for cocktails – even via cosmetic products!”

“As a bartender this is a lot of fun: to enjoy maximum creativity as bartender. For me it’s like being a chef – but a liquid chef!”

How about aims for future achievements? “My goal as a bartender is to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation in cocktail-making. I want to focus on creating unique guest experiences that not only showcase exceptional drinks but also tell a meaningful story through each cocktail. Sustainability is also a key priority for me – integrating eco-friendly practices and ingredients into our drinks to reduce waste and make a positive impact on the environment. Education and mentorship are very important as well, as I want to help the next generation of bartenders grow and succeed. Ultimately, I aim to elevate Origin Bar even further on the global stage while making meaningful contributions to both the cocktail and sustainability communities.”

With this approach many more cocktails with Origin Bar as place of origin are likely to be born.