In just two years, Maria Escobia has made impressive strides in Malaysia’s growing bar scene, quickly going from a newcomer to the Bar Manager at Penrose, Kuala Lumpur. While relatively new, Maria's enthusiasm and hands-on approach have allowed her to embrace the role with passion and determination. Her journey reflects the ever-evolving bar culture in Kuala Lumpur, where fresh talents like Maria are shaping the industry’s future, one cocktail at a time.

What inspired you to join the bar industry?

ME: What inspired me to join the industry is actually the community. Before I worked at the bar, I met people who worked behind it, and I enjoyed the stories behind the cocktails and the bars. You learn something from them, and you kind of want to do it too. I love being with them. 

What would you say is your specialty as a bar manager?

ME: My specialty is organising and managing, especially managing the team and organising the bar—everything from service to preparation. I really enjoy doing it. It’s fun, and honestly, I can’t sleep if it’s not organised.

How do you stay creative and inspired in your work? 

ME: I stay creative by learning from others. There’s always an exchange between us. I try other bartenders’ drinks, see how they run their bars, and then I learn from it and apply it to my own work.

Can you tell us more about the bar culture in Malaysia?

ME: Bar culture in Kuala Lumpur is slowly booming. We just had our first KL Cocktail Week, which was crazy! A lot of bars are opening, and things are happening all the time. People are starting to learn more about the bar scene here.

We communicate a lot with guests, especially if they’re not from Malaysia. We’ll recommend bars in KL, and if they’re heading to other places like Penang or Sabah, we have a list for them too. It’s about supporting each other in the bar community.

What’s something unique about the KL bar scene that visitors should experience?

ME: If someone visits KL, I’d recommend Chinatown. You can walk around and find a lot of cocktail bars there. People usually have dinner first, and then by 9 or 9:30 PM, the bars get busy. It’s a great place for bar-hopping, and if one bar is full, you just move to the next. There are also some great bars outside of the city that are just a short drive away.

What are your aspirations for the future?  

ME: I’m looking to expand more. When we train our team, it’s not just about making them bartenders; it’s about training them to manage a bar someday. It’s like grooming future leaders. We want to keep expanding, not just in Malaysia but around Asia. I also want to focus on education, giving bartenders more opportunities so they can grow and not feel like they’re stuck behind the bar forever.

What kind of opportunities are you looking for to achieve your goals?

ME: I think education is important. Some bartenders don’t know where they’re heading or what they want to do, and having mentors or more training could really help. We have bartenders in Malaysia who are going through that, and I think starting something here would be really beneficial.

What do you look forward to the most about Bar Convent Singapore 2025? 

ME: BCB is great. I was there, and I got to learn more about spirits, especially since we don’t have as many options in KL. When we went to BCB, we got to try so many new things. The only thing you have to remember is not to drink too much! It’s an amazing event, and there’s so much to learn without needing to travel far. Plus, guest shifts are happening, and it’s just a lot of fun.

Join Maria Escobia at Bar Convent Singapore 2025

Save the date for 3-4 March 2025 at Marina Bay Sands, where you’ll join industry peers like Maria Escobia to explore the next wave of bartending trends. We’re excited to see both seasoned professionals and newcomers to the craft dive into fresh insights, hands-on experiences, and awesome immersion within the cocktail world.