Industry Veteran, Amanda Wan, Joins Tastings Group as Beverage Director

Amanda Wan, newly appointed Beverage Director of Tasting’s Group

Hong Kong [Wednesday, 22 April 2026] Amanda Wan, an Asia's 50 Best Bars veteran who has shaped multiple award-winning bar programs across Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Hong Kong, will be joining Tastings Group as Beverage Director effective May 11. A homegrown independent collective established in 2008, Tastings Group is one of Hong Kong's most respected forces in hospitality, operating a diverse roster of bars, restaurants, and beverage consultancy services flagship multisensory cocktail bar Quinary, ranked #38 on World's 50 Best Bars and #6 on Asia's 50 Best Bars; Michelin-starred VEA Restaurant; The Opposites, co-led by DIAGEO World Class Champions Antonio Lai and Samuel Kwok; and Draft Land HK, the city's pioneering cocktails-on-tap concept. In this role, Wan will oversee beverage program development, mentorship, branding execution, and guest experience across the group’s award-winning portfolio.

Malaysia-born Wan is no stranger to Tastings Group, having previously served as Bar Manager and Beverage Development Manager from 2014 to 2019, where she helped shape beverage strategies across venues that would go on to be recognised on Asia’s 50 Best Bars and World’s 50 Best Bars lists, as well as Michelin-starred establishments. She returns to Hong Kong with over a decade of international leadership experience, most recently as Head Bartender of Three X Co in Kuala Lumpur, which she helped guide to #15 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and Tatler Malaysia Top 20 recognition.

A former barista turned award-winning mixologist, Wan was the first female bartender in Malaysia to take the crown and represent her native country at the DIAGEO World Class Global Finals (Athens, 2010). Her other accolades include Top 3 Finalist at Bacardi Legacy Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan 2016, and recognition as one of Hong Kong’s Top 25 Bartenders by Drinks World Asia in 2014 & 2015. 

“Amanda embodies the rare balance of artistry and operational rigour that defines Tastings Group. Having witnessed her evolution from our Beverage Development Manager years ago to an internationally celebrated bar leader, we are thrilled to welcome her back, not just to lead our beverage programmes, but to mentor our next generation of talent and elevate every guest interaction across our venues,” said Charlene Dewes, Founding Owner and Managing Director of Tastings Group. 

Wan will work across Tastings Group’s diverse roster, including flagship multisensory cocktail bar Quinary (World’s and Asia’s 50 Best Bars), The Opposites who celebrates harmony in juxtaposition, co-led by fellow DIAGEO World Class Champions Antonio Lai and Samuel Kwok), Draft Land HK– a multi-venue cocktail-on-tap concept built on speed, quality, and sustainability–and Drinks By Design, the group’s 3,000-square-foot beverage factory, which not only offers consultancy and catering services, but also serves as the backend support for all of the bars.

“Returning to Tastings Group is a homecoming to where I first learnt how great bars are built, not just on recipes, but on people, respect, and shared moments,” said Amanda Wan. “I look forward to working alongside Charlene, Antonio, and the entire team to craft beverage experiences that surprise, comfort, and connect.”

Wan holds a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) from the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts, KDU College Malaysia (partnered with IMI Switzerland), where she was valedictorian. She is fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Bahasa Malaysia.

About Tastings Group:

Established in 2008, Tastings Group is a homegrown independent collective of bars, restaurants, and beverage consultancy services in Hong Kong. The group's award-winning portfolio includes flagship cocktail bar Quinary (World's and Asia's 50 Best Bars), Michelin-starred VEA Restaurant and WING Restaurant by Chef Vicky Cheng, Draft Land HK (cocktails on tap), The Opposites led by Diageo World Class Champions Antonio Lai and Samuel Kwok, DRINKS BY DESIGN beverage consultancy, casual dining concept Medora, artisanal gelato shop Liz & Tori, and past acclaimed venues including ROOM 309, The Envoy, ORI-GIN, Angel's Share Whisky Bar, and Tastings Wine Bar.