Celebrating its third year, The Bar Awards closes the 2019 awards season recognising the best and brightest in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Hot on the heels of awards in Singapore, The Bar Awards moves to Malaysia to celebrate Kuala Lumpur and Penang’s greatest bars and hospitality professionals. The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang will close off the 2019 awards year and the team have a huge party planned, not only for Malaysia, but for the whole of Asia. Mark your calendars and book your flights for December 5 to 8.

Before the celebrations and parties, The Bar Awards begins the Nominations and Voting System (NAVS) calling for Public Nominations. The Public Nominations round allows for anyone and everyone to nominate their favourite bars and hospitality professionals working in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. 

The 14 categories are selected by the Lead Panel members for The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2019, and they are:

Angel Ng Ji (Three Piece Shaker, MY Bartender’s Handshake)
Alvin Lim (Taps Beer Bar, MyBeer)
Ben Ng (Mish Mash)
Chee Kheong Kho (Coley, Pahit)
Joshua Ivanovic (JungleBird)
Kim Choong (Thirst Magazine)
Tan Meng How (Straits Wine Company)
Mohd. Erik Fiza bin Zulkifle (Haus Consultancy, Bartending Apparel & BA12)
Michael Cheang (Tipsy-Turvy columnist, StarLifestyle)
Shawn Chong (Omakase + Appreciate)
Shawn Samuel (Wholly Spirits)

Public Nominations are open from today and close on Sunday, October 27. Cast your nominations for your favourite bars and bartenders here

The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2019 Categories:

The Bar Awards Luminaries presented by the House of Angostura
The inductees to The Bar Awards Luminaries are those that have greatly contributed to the growth and development of the Malaysian bar community. The inductees are nominated by the general public, voted by The Panel and finally decided by the Lead Panel. The 2019 inductees will be announced at The Bar Awards Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2019 party on Sunday 8 December 2019 at Black Box (Publika).

The previous inductees are:

  • Ben Ng (Mish Mash)
  • Kim Choong (Thirst Magazine)

The Rising Star
Who is the best bartender that has recently joined the hospitality industry that is 28 years old or younger?

  • The candidate must be born on or after 1st January 1991
  • The candidate must be working in an establishment in Kuala Lumpur that serves alcohol as of the nomination date
  • Previous winners are not eligible to be a finalist or win this award

Aim: To encourage more young people to choose the hospitality industry as a career by recognising young and talented people who are doing great work that is 28 years old or younger.

Restaurant Bar of the Year presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Which restaurant has the best bar program and bar team?

  • The nominated establishment must serve food created by a designated culinary team
  • The nominated establishment must obviously be a restaurant

Aim: To recognise the best beverage program and bar team in a restaurant establishment that is providing their customers with a great dining and beverage experience.

Beer Bar of the Year presented by Peroni
Which establishment has the most knowledgeable team, an exciting (not necessary the largest) beer selection and provides the best in beer enjoyment experience?

  • This category is open to any establishment serving beer

Aim: To acknowledge the hard working establishments that is providing a well curated beer selection that is making beer drinking an enjoyable educational experience.

Hotel Bar of the Year
Which is the best hotel bar?

  • A hotel bar is a bar that is managed by the hotel, using the hotel’s facilities, resources and manpower to help add to the bar’s success.
  • Establishments that are renting/occupying a space on a hotel property is not eligible for this category

Aim: To encourage more hotels to develop and create better bar programs for their guests and in turn create more opportunities within the local community for growth.

Specialist Concept of the Year presented by Restaurant, Pub and Bar Asia
Which establishment has the most specialised, unique and focused concept in Kuala Lumpur?

Aim: This award recognises an establishment that offers a unique, specialised and focused concept as well as a well curated experience. The Bar Awards wants to encourage new and unique concepts to be developed that both broadens the mind and allows everyone to experience something a little different in Kuala Lumpur.

Hospitality Ambassador of the Year
Which individual exudes and provides the best hospitality for their guests?

  • The candidate must be working in an establishment in Kuala Lumpur that serves alcohol as of the nomination date
  • This category is open to anyone who works in an establishment, this may be a chef, bartender, waiter, finance/back of house and so on

Aim: To acknowledge an individual that is providing the best hospitality to all of their guests as well as encouraging others to choose and join the hospitality industry.

Hospitality Team of the Year presented by Hendrick’s Gin
Which establishment provides the best hospitality for their guests?

Aim: To recognise the hard work and effort of an establishment that exudes the values of hospitality. These may include but not be limited to; making the guest feel welcome, making the guest comfortable, looking after the guest’s happiness and so forth.

Creative Cocktail Bar of the Year presented by Cointreau
Which establishment has the most creative cocktail program?

Aim: To recognise and acknowledge the hard work and effort that a team puts into creating the most innovative, unique and creative collection of cocktails.

New Bar of the Year presented by Campari
Which is the best new establishment that has been opened in the last year?

  • The nominated establishment must have been opened for one year or less from the nomination date

Aim: To encourage more new f&b establishments to open to create new jobs and opportunities for that city. This award recognises and acknowledges the greatest bars that have opened within the last one year.

Bartender of the Year – Penang
Who is the best bartender, role model, leader, mentor and all round good person in Penang?

  • The candidate must be working in an establishment in Penang that serves alcohol as of the nomination date

Aim: To recognise and acknowledge the hard work of an outstanding talent within the local bar and beverage community. This person should be assessed not only on how they are during their work hours but also how they represent themselves, their colleagues, their workplace and their community outside of work.

Bartender of the Year presented by Monkey Shoulder
Who is the best bartender, role model, leader, mentor and all round good person in Kuala Lumpur?

  • The candidate must be working in an establishment in Kuala Lumpur that serves alcohol as of the nomination date

Aim: To recognise and acknowledge the hard work of an outstanding talent within the local bar and beverage community. This person should be assessed not only on how they are during their work hours but also how they represent themselves, their colleagues, their workplace and their community outside of work.

Bar of the Year – Penang
Which is the best bar in Penang?

Aim: To recognise and acknowledge the hard work of an outstanding bar team in the local bar and beverage community. This bar should be assessed on every factor that makes a great bar. This may include but not be limited to; experience, atmosphere, skills, hospitality, price, profitability, cleanliness and so forth.

Bar of the Year presented by Monin
Which is the best bar in Kuala Lumpur?

Aim: To recognise and acknowledge the hard work of an outstanding bar team in the local bar and beverage community. This bar should be assessed on every factor that makes a great bar. This may include but not be limited to; experience, atmosphere, skills, hospitality, price, profitability, cleanliness and so forth.