Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021 Honours MO BAR at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore with Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award

Singapore’s MO Bar has been named the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award as part of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021. The award is voted for by Asia’s 50 Best Bars’ 220-member Academy, who were each asked to name the one institution that has provided the best hospitality experience in the last 18 months.

This is the first in a series of special awards to be announced in the weeks leading up to the digital countdown of the annual list on 6th May 2021, which will take place on Facebook and YouTube. As countries begin to open up following a year of extraordinary challenges, 50 Best’s role in championing great bars is more important than ever as guests look for food and beverage inspiration in their future travel plans.

This year, in order to celebrate more bars and to provide some positive news to a sector that has been hard hit by the pandemic, Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021 will also extend its reveal to include those bars ranked between 51st and 100th in the list. The 51-100 list will be announced on 29th April and will be complemented by the first three instalments of the ‘Breaking The Ice’ bartender discussion sessions on 2nd, 3rd and 4th May.

Mark Sansom, Content Editor for Asia’s 50 Best Bars, says: “We are pleased to recognise the outstanding hospitality experience that is offered to all guests who visit MO Bar. We introduced the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award last year to honour the best in hospitality on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars stage, as we believe that excellent service is a vital component of any bar experience, and even more so in today’s climate. The way MO Bar personalises its guest experience is second to none. Visitors to the bar will receive a bespoke programme of ‘treats’, which not only add a sense of theatre, but also shows patrons how valued their custom is. Heartiest congratulations to Adrian Besa, Etienne Francois and the team for this well-deserved win.”

Located on the fourth floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, MO Bar is inspired by the Pacific Ocean, the rich culture of Asia’s ports and the travellers who journey between them. Guests can enjoy their cocktails in a luxury environment, set to an earthy palette of warm brown and olive green, accented with splashes of nomadic furnishings and décor. Introduced when the bar opened in 2018, the Volume One menu was inspired by nomadic voyagers and ‘People of the Sea’, while Volume Two, launched in 2019, drew inspiration from the travels of the MO Bar team. The latest iteration, Volume Three, was rolled out in 2020 and focusses on international bartenders and their creations. Volume Three has now evolved into the current interactive digital menu.

Adrian Besa, Bar Manager of MO Bar, says: “In the midst of these extremely challenging times for our industry, we feel honoured to be awarded the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award and to receive the acknowledgement from our industry peers. This recognition reaffirms the dedication and hard work that the team has been putting in every day to providing exceptional service and creating moments of delight at MO Bar and Mandarin Oriental, Singapore.”

Matt Magliocco, Executive Vice President of Michter’s, says: “We extend our congratulations to Etienne Francois, Adrian Besa and the brilliant team at MO Bar Singapore for this recognition. During a year which has posed inconceivable challenges to the hospitality industry, they have resolutely provided the highest-possible level of warmth, comfort and joy to their guests. No team better epitomises the Art of Hospitality.”

The sixth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced in a virtual ceremony on 6th May, beginning at 6pm HK/Singapore time (3.30pm India; 5pm Thailand; 7pm Japan). Bars and cocktail lovers are invited to join the digital countdown of the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021, through The World’s 50 Best Bars Facebook page  and 50 Best Bars TV YouTube channel.