Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest 2019 has been a great year for Manila’s bar industry. We’ve seen a lot of new bars popping up, numerous local bartenders racking accolades in various regional and global competitions, and the year also welcomed a slew of international guest bar shifts and new brand launches. We have also seen the best bars around the world coming to our shores to share their knowledge and craft for the cocktail industry. Before the year ends, Manila welcomes The Bar Awards as they hold their first event in Manila this November. The Bar Awards is an award-giving body in Asia that brings people together to celebrate achievement and excellence within the bar community since 2014. The Bar Awards will not hold the awards in Manila yet but instead host an ‘On Tour’ initiative in collaboration with Diageo World Class, which will bring four of Asia’s best bars and talents to Manila for a panel talk and a cocktail party. Happening on November 21, Thursday, Shangri-La at the Fort will host talented bartenders CK Kho (owner of Coley Cocktail Bar, Bar of the Year Kuala Lumpur 2017 and 2018), Wirawee “Wi” Meesem (bartender of The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Bar of the Year Bangkok 2019), Mel Chavez (Assistant Bar Manager of Tippling Club, Restaurant Bar of the Year Singapore 2019) and Jerrold Khoo (Bar Manager of Jigger & Pony, Bar of the Year Singapore 2019). CK Kho (owner of Coley Cocktail Bar, Bar of the Year Kuala Lumpur 2017 and 2018) Wirawee “Wi” Meesem (bartender of The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Bar of the Year Bangkok 2019) Mel Chavez (Assistant Bar Manager of Tippling Club, Restaurant Bar of the Year Singapore 2019) Jerrold Khoo (Bar Manager of Jigger & Pony, Bar of the Year Singapore 2019). The talks will start by 3 pm and will feature a panel discussion with CK Kho, Mel Chavez, and Jerrold Khoo hosted by Diageo Reserve Brand Ambassador, Rian Asiddao. The panel discussion will be tackling pointers on how the Manila bar community can work on making our city the next cocktail capital. By 8 pm, the featured bars will host a Cocktail Party at The Back Room, showcasing some of their best signature cocktails. “We’re pretty excited to be part of The Bar Awards On Tour and cannot wait to host our friends from all over Asia and show them our hospitality,” enthuses Rian Asiddao, “We’re ecstatic to show the visiting bartenders all of the amazing bars we have in Manila and cannot wait to try some of their World Class cocktails at the Cocktail Party,” he adds. For more information on The Bar Awards On Tour Manila, visit The Bar Awards Facebook event page. The Bar Awards On Tour Manila Talks is happening on November 21, 2019, 3 pm at Shangri-La at the Fort, followed by the Cocktail Party at The Back Room, by 8 pm. Shangri-La at the Fort is located at 30th Street, Corner 5th Ave, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila, Philippines.