Head Bartender at Wishbone Bar
E: Give us a short recap of your career in mixology so far.
A: I started in early 2011 as a daily worker in a bar, then moved section as a specialty coffee barista, before becoming a bartender in 2013. Since then I’ve represented Indonesia twice at international bartender competitions in 2015 and 2019. My career in the industry has been immensely rewarding. I’ve been conducting seminars on cocktails and bars for more than 1,000 bartenders since 2015, and I got appointed as a brand ambassador as well. Now, I’m working in Tavern Group Semarang as general manager for food and beverage, including as the head bartender at Wishbone Bar.
E: What is your main duties in your current position with Tavern Group and Wishbone Bar?
A: I oversee the whole operations for the lifestyle restaurant and bar division at Tavern Group, as we have eight different outlets at the moment. The position also comes with bussiness and people development as well. As for Wishbone Bar, I’ll be your forever bartender.
E: After your illustrious career in different cities, you settled in Semarang to work at Wishbone Bar. Why Semarang and what’s special about the city?
A: My 10 years in Bali had been amazing to me, but since the pandemic, I decided to move to Semarang. What I love from the city? It’s the people, our guests and our family. Semarang is another melting pot city, where you can find a lot of foreigners and local tourists here for both business and leisure. Most of them come to the city with similar needs of the perfect lifestyle. That’s what Tavern Group stands for, answering those needs with our multiple outlets, each showcasing a different concept.
E: Can you tell us about the concept of Wishbone Bar?
A: Wishbone is a 1920s themed bar, where we offer a wide variety of whisky and cocktails. This bar is for everyone, it is communal and in the seven years we’ve been open, we have been consistenly focusing on serving proper cocktails with warm hospitality.
E: What should first-time guests order when they come to your bar?
A: I would recommend first-timers to sit on our bar stools, where our bartenders will gladly escort you with our 1920s-themed cocktails, inspired by the migration of bartenders from the US across the globe during the Prohibiton. To start the night right, kindly ask for a Mary Pickford, it has this tropical and classy taste – obviously with a nice kick to it.
E: How did you and your team feel when Wishbone Bar was mentioned in the Asia’s Best 50 Bars?
A: It was beyond words – we were super humbled and grateful that all those hardwork since day one were being recognised. Being listed and known made us more and more focused to deliver nothing but the best to our guests. We believe that everything we do matters even when we are not in a big city. And we try not to get too complacent – being more famous or not, business needs to continue. Currently we are developing our new menu using the same philosophy that we only aim to serve the best version of us and let the good times roll.
E: Can you share one thing about you that not many people know?
A: I want to be a chef, but my life journey brings me to the other side of the restaurant, which is cooler – because of the ice. It’s a dad joke, forget it.
Exquisite Taste Volume 44
Wishbone Bar
Bowery Building
Jalan Ahmad Yani, Karangkidul
Semarang 50241, Indonesia
T: (+62) 248440818
IG: @wishbone_bar
