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Cathay Members’ Choice Awards 2025: Asia’s most creative bartender
Welcome to the Cathay Members’ Choice Awards. Our annual awards celebrate the very best in travel, dining and lifestyle – as voted for by you, our global community of members.
After receiving tens of thousands of votes, we’re thrilled to share who you voted to be Asia’s most creative bartender. Learn more about the winner who’s changing up the Asian bar scene with their innovative tipples, as well as the four nominees that made it to the shortlist.
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Winner: Ariel Hou, Bar Pine, Taipei, Taiwan China
Founder and head bartender Ariel Hou brings a chef’s precision to Bar Pine , where she transforms local ingredients, rare botanicals and unexpected textures into artistic creations. She beats a lineup of heavyweight peers thanks to her creations that blur the line between food and drink for a multi-sensory experience that stays with you.
“Ariel’s ability to blend art, history and mixology into a cohesive and memorable experience sets her apart as a truly creative bartender. Her cocktails reflect a deep appreciation for culture and storytelling.” - Carmen Chiu
Shortlisted nominees
Ajit Gurung, The Savoury Project, Hong Kong China
Nepal-born Ajit Gurung made his mark behind the bar at some of Hong Kong’s top venues before co-founding The Savoury Project with COA’s Jay Khan. Known for pushing boundaries, he brings a bold, umami-forward approach to cocktails, using inventive ingredients like miso, kombu and soy sauce to redefine the city’s drinking scene.
Dohyung “Demie” Kim, Zest, Seoul, South Korea
At Zest , Demie Kim keeps one eye on the environment and the other on innovation. The closed-loop cocktail programme he helped create transforms discarded, largely local food waste into house ferments, distillates, sodas and cordials. These upcycled ingredients build some of Asia’s best drinks, proving that zero-waste can be sexy and sustainable.
Keith Motsi, Virtu, Tokyo, Japan
Since taking over Virtù in 2022, Zimbabwe-born Keith Motsi has turned it into one of Tokyo’s most talked-about bars. Combining upbeat energy, Japanese ingredients, and a flair for showmanship, he crafts cocktails with layered flavours and textures. His bold, experimental style has made him one of Asia’s most forward-thinking – and down-to-earth – bartenders.
Shelley Tai, Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore
After making a name for herself in Hong Kong, Shelley Tai moved to Singapore to helm Nutmeg & Clove . She’s since catapulted the cocktail bar’s reputation into the stratosphere, crafting divine cocktails inspired by the city-state’s culture and history. Now the operations director of the Nutmeg Collective, Tai is injecting her creative energy across the group’s concepts.
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