Growing up in a family that instills strong values for a healthy and balanced diet, Bannie often crafts her cocktails with medicinal and social purposes in mind. She draws inspiration from her native origin, incorporating ingredients commonly found in traditional Korean dishes, such as white kimchi, Korean plum liqueur and ginseng. Back in her hometown, Jinju, South Korea, Bannie also likes following her family to harvest pressed Sakura flowers, plums and yuzu, often found growing in her backyard. She incorporates these freshly picked ingredients to make Korean spices and pastes, such as homemade marmalade, which she largely infuses in her cocktails.

As a keen food lover, Bannie also enjoys heading to the local markets during her free time to experience the culture. She gathers inspiration from exploring the different food elements and components used widely in local dishes. Some of her current favourites include tropical fruits like watermelon and pineapple, which she used most recently in her winning cocktail “Hwa Chae” that was presented at the 2016 Bacardi Legacy Global Competition.

Constantly seeking new cocktail knowledge and techniques, Bannie’s strong determination and independence has certainly taken her to greater heights and reinforced her status as an exceptional and innovative bartender in this male-dominated industry. She looks forward to constantly experimenting and mastering her cocktail making skills, and presenting more of her creations with the marriage of Western and Southeast Asian influences.