Meet Nina Wongsuwat

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nina Wongsuwat. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nina below.

Nina, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Travel inspired me. People inspired me. I love to be around different cultures, food, drinks, and see how people are having fun. When I design a cocktail program, I would talk to chefs, I’d learn the ingredients they use in their food, the technique they use. Then I will try to make cordial, infusion along with the line.

Seasonal produce inspired me. I love farmer market to see what are there in the season and then create cocktails based on that.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am at the best place I wanted in my career as a Bar Programmer who designed a bar program along with chef who care about his food and ingredients, Travis Lett at RVR, New Californian Izakaya bar and restaurant in Venice.
We collaborated ingredients used in the kitchen, fresh farmer market produce into the cocktail menu. And it’s beautiful.
Something like house aged ume-highball, Andy’s orchard plum negroni, house pickle gibson, or a soba paloma.

I have been in restaurant industry for over 15 years now. I started as server in New York City then taught myself how to bartend . And started that and never look back. I love making drink for people. See them enjoy it. Make experience. Make their day. Make me happy and keep me going.

Hospitality is in my blood. I grew up helping my aunt’s catering business back in Thailand. We always prep, cook, or taste something. You trained your palate without knowing it. My parents and brother are excellent cooks and they love having people come over. Feeding people with the most delicious food is their joy. Sharing happiness through food.

I studied engineering and love chemistry and math. Believe it or not, it now comes to liquid measurement and putting ingredients together in the cocktail world.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Hospitality.
Attention to detail.
Art.

It feels great to create something for someone including yourself.
And find joy on everything you do. If you can’t, walk away is not a bad thing, You might not be in the right industry but it might lead you to something else. Keep going, keep trying, stay with things you like.

Treat people like they are your family and friends. Be kind.

Care. It will show in your final product. It will taste right, It will be beautiful because you put your love in it.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

Created non-alcoholic beverages that are delicious and have a look and feel and taste like cocktails.
I create a N/A Negroni with botanical that has health benefit – dried flowers, barks, roots, peels.
Got a good feedback from bar guests. And that led to got hired for a wellness event to serve this botanical drink.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: BarSweetHome

Image Credits

Christian Truong
Alice Hu
Kessuda Tippak