Raising the BAR

Making waves in what was traditionally a male-dominated industry, these talented ladies are doing Malaysia proud one memorable cocktail at a time.

AMANDA WAN,
WHOLLY SPIRITS

What made you first fall in love with bartending?
When I learnt that it’s a craft that takes great effort to pull off effortlessly.

Who has had the greatest influence on your career?
My late mentor, Frankie Anthony. He took me under his wing 17 years ago and taught me everything step by step. He was the first and only one (at that time) who thought I deserved to learn to tend to the bar properly, instead of getting by on just being cute. I’m glad he did, because cute doesn’t last forever. Ha!

How would you say the industry has evolved over the years?
It has and it hasn’t. Although cocktails today can be made with more science equipment than you can find in a chemist’s laboratory, the true spirit of classics and hospitality is in greater demand than it has ever been, where the bartender is the key to the tenderness of a bar… with that personal touch.

Bartending was once largely seen as a man’s world. Do women have the upper hand and why?
I disagree. There are as many women as there are men in the bartending world. Just that some were more famous than others. I wouldn’t say we have the upper hand either, but a bar is a far more cohesive working place when all people are welcome on both sides of the bar. Each individual has their own strengths so a wise owner would be sure to maximise the talents of each person on their team.