Tasha Lu is feisty, beautiful and can make a mean cocktail
By Samantha Francis
Tasha Lu is Hendrick’s Gin Regional Ambassador for Southeast Asia.
While Singapore Cocktail Week has concluded with a bang, the exciting bartending scene shows no signs of slowing down.
We took the opportunity to chat with one of the event’s guest bartenders — Tasha Lu — and find out what happens in a day of her life as Hendrick’s Gin Regional Brand Ambassador for South East Asia.
She also reveals her go-to cocktail and tells us about the strange things which she collects (like skulls).
Hi Tasha, tell us more about what you do as Hendrick’s Gin Regional Ambassador for Southeast Asia?
As Brand Ambassador for Hendricks Gin, I eat, live and breathe the unusual world of Hendrick’s Gin.
My home is filled with unusual items and adorned with strange and interesting items. I collect taxidermy and wet specimens, different types of skull heads, strange art and books. I find these things inspiring. Our customers and bartenders find it easy to connect and engage with someone like me I guess, because of my unusual personality.
Life is simply too glorious not to experience Hendrick’s peculiar flavour — which is infused with rose and cucumber. As such, I travel around South East Asia advocating and bringing people into the Hendrick’s world that I love so much and want others to enjoy.
I get to be creative almost every day and meet new people all the time, which is something I really enjoy doing, it’s very stimulating and I’m extremely lucky to be a part of the Hendrick’s Cucumber Clan!
Tasha: ” I think it’s fair to say that Singapore is still a little behind the cocktail scene compared to some cities in Australia.”
You’ve got a wealth of experience working in Melbourne bars. How does the cocktail/bartending scene differ between Australia and Singapore?
With two totally different markets and cultures, they differ quite a bit. I think it’s fair to say that Singapore is still a little behind the cocktail scene compared to some cities in Australia.
A lot of the influence in Singapore comes from Japanese style bartending which we don’t really have a lot of in Australia. It comes more from Europe or the US — hardly anyone in Australia will use a 3-peice shaker unless it’s for a cocktail competition — but in Singapore it is basically a bar staple.
There are also different styles of bartending; Australia is used to high volume and more of a fast-paced environment, while Singapore is more about the craft of the cocktail.
Her go-to cocktail’s a Negroni!
Walk us through a day in your life as Hendrick’s Gin Regional Ambassador for Southeast Asia.
Every day as the Hendrick’s Gin Brand Ambassador is different, some days I’ll be in the office climbing the never ending paperwork mountain, where recently I have been surrounded by a fort of boxes because of Singapore Cocktail Week.
Other days I’ll be travelling to my other markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia and KL spreading the cucumber affection, most of the time you can find me in bars chatting to the bartenders or doing twirls on the streets and singing to myself.
What’s your go-to cocktail? And why?
A Negroni. I like to refer to it as my don’t need to think about it drink – something you can order or make easily and you never get sick of it. I like to enjoy a Negroni well diluted.
- 30ml Hendricks gin
- 30ml Sweet vermouth (I prefer Dolin Rogue)
- 15ml Campari
- 15ml Aperol
Stirred and served over block ice with an orange twist (I prefer a wedge)
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I never really got nightmares from scary movies. When I was little my mother was always saying that I would be scared and get nightmares, when and if I did have a nightmare I was amused. I was more terrified by my own family and real life, you know?!
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