PAILIN “MILK” SAJJANIT

Bar Manager, 008 Bar

The hospitality industry was definitely not where Pailin “Milk” Sajjanit had her sights set when she was young. “Since high school I dreamed of going to law school, but I didn’t pass the exam to study at that faculty,” she admits, adding that her father then steered her towards a course in hospitality management. After graduating from Bangkok University’s hospitality programme she knew she didn’t want a position that involved cooking or serving, so she eventually found herself tending bar. “I kind of liked it,” recalls the soon to be 32-year-old.

Her first gig was at Da Vinci, the Italian restaurant at the Rembrandt Hotel, after which she had the opportunity to join the pre-opening team at the Sofitel SO, and then about a year later the pre-opening team at W Bangkok. However, it was her stint at Vesper that allowed her to really spread her wings and discover her own mixology style. Around this time she also started competing, representing Thailand at the Diplomático World Tournament Global Finals in Venezuela, and winning Diageo’s Southeast Asia World Class cocktail competition in 2016.

After Vesper she move to Zuma restaurant, at the St. Regis Hotel, but in October of 2018 her career path had led to a position as Bar Manager at 008 Bar, a prohibition-era speakeasy style lounge located on the 11th floor of the Akyra hotel on Thong Lor. Here she has created a long list of classic jazz-age drinks, including eight signature cocktails inspired by songs from that era of temperance.