Hospitality News – November 2020

Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur Listed in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020

Bar Trigona at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur claimed a highly-coveted spot on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 list, announced via a virtual awards ceremony on 5 November 2020. It is the first-ever bar in Malaysia to receive this recognition.

Bar Trigona is known for its distinctive brand of creative sustainability since its opening in 2018, quickly becoming a favourite on Asia’s vibrant cocktail circuit. Earlier this year, it was named #14 Best Bar in Asia and Best Bar in Malaysia by Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020, as well as once again taking home the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.

Now with a #44 spot on the famed global list, Bar Trigona joins the world’s most elite bars.

“Being first-time entrants, we are absolutely over the moon. It is such an honour to join this prestigious group, stretching all the way from Manhattan and Paris to our very own Kuala Lumpur,” said Head Bartender Ashish Sharma, noting that the award reflects the entire team’s genuine passion and tireless efforts to explore and develop drinks.

“Thank you to all our guests and to the wider cocktail community for believing in us, and for supporting us on this incredible journey.” – Ashish Sharma

At Bar Trigona, each crafted cocktail is the culmination of a story that originates at local farms across Malaysia. Led by Ashish, the team tracks down the best homegrown produce, planted and harvested using sustainable methods.

Guests can discover a frequently-updated cocktail list that incorporates diverse – and often surprising – local influences, from wild turmeric and jackfruit to premium figs and gula melaka.

As Ashish explains, “Our focus is on re-imagining traditional ingredients and pushing the boundaries. How can we use every part of the ingredient, from root to shoot and skin to seed? How can we bring together different tastes and textures to create a brand-new story in a glass?”

Earlier this year, the bar introduced KL’s cocktail aficionados to cocktails aged in clay pots, an innovative method inspired by Asian preservation practices that go back 8,000 years. Drinks are rested for up to two weeks in unglazed terracotta vessels, infusing them with a wondrous earthiness, minerality and smoothness.

“Compared with oak, clay is very porous and allows greater control over temperature and oxygen exchange,” notes Ashish, emphasising that precision is key to getting the flavours just right.

Across all seasons, the star ingredient at Bar Trigona is the artisanal honey, a unique blend of sweet and sour notes that lights up signature concoctions. This highly-prized nectar is made by native Trigona honeybees, who happen to be the inspiration behind the bar’s name as well as its mesmerising mosaic-and-mirror interiors.

The team sources the honey in small batches from Dino’s Kelulut Organic Farm in Negeri Sembilan, a partnership that has now flowered into a hive of eco-friendly initiatives. Patrons can adopt their very own beehive at the farm, while proceeds from cocktail sales go towards establishing new beehives, a vital step to protect local bee populations and maintain the delicately-balanced ecosystem.

The Bar Trigona team celebrates this latest achievement with the local community and partnering farmers, who have supported them right from the start.

For more info, head over to https://www.fourseasons.com/kualalumpur/dining/lounges/bar-trigona/

Festive Staycation at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur

Enjoy the year end holiday season with the ‘Joyeux Noël Christmas Stay’ or ‘New Year’s Eve Celebration’ package stay at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and enjoy a host of privileges between 20 December 2020 and 3 January 2021.

The overnight accommodation in the heart of Kuala Lumpur Sentral is replete with dining, and entertainment offerings. Celebrate with grand Christmas feasts in one of Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur’s participating restaurants, or pop champagne in the hotel’s Lake Garden view rooms as the city counts down to the New Year amidst a spectacle of fireworks.

Joyeux Noël Christmas Stay*

Package is available between 20 to 28 December 2020: