Spirits of the East: Asia's Global Pour

Once considered niche, Asian flavour profiles are now reshaping global palates. CODA, a newly opened bastion to this renaissance, sits in a quiet corner of Singapore's buzzy Robertson Quay. Within its minimal yet intimate interiors, Michel Lu — founder of The Orientalist Spirits and the visionary behind CODA — shares his insights on Asia's growing influence.
"It is our time. It is Asia's time," Michel states. "From high end fusion concepts like Novikov, Park Chinois, and Hakkasan, the fascination with Asian flavours is tremendous. Particularly in markets like London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, and Berlin. It's not a new thing, but it's certainly accelerating."

Asian representation in the food and beverage industry has truly come a long way since General Tso's chicken and the sake bombs of decades past.
A pandan craze has inspired international markets of late, its bright green hue appearing in cakes, doughnut glazes, milk teas and more. This has come after both matcha and ube (purple yam) experienced a similar increase in popularity. Thanks to a much-discussed trademark controversy, chili crunch or chili crisp brands like Lao Gan Ma along with dozens of similar smaller brands are gaining remarkable market potential as they make their way into more Western pantries. New fans of this spicy condiment are drizzling them on eggs, pizzas, steaks, even oatmeal.
"Chili crunch is a trend I would like to see evolve," Michel remarks. A veteran in the F&B and hospitality scene, Michel teases a dish from his forthcoming restaurant: "Lao Gan Ma chili crunch cookie crumbles on a vanilla soft serve ice cream. You have a little bit of spice, a little bit of umami, and a contrast in textures — the kind of innovation that will resonate with all kinds of palates." He illustrates the concept further: a simple fried chicken dish transformed by gochujang butter. "It's more exciting on the palate. It elevates the dish."
Pandan or chili crunch represent a mere sliver of Asia's vast flavour library. A key differentiator in Asian cuisine is the long history of fermentation across Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Malaysian culinary traditions. "With fermented products, you get a lot of umami. Western culture doesn't have much of this in the same way we have. There's umami in cheese, for example, but you cannot compare that to fish sauce. Come on!" Michel laughs. "Chili crunch, miso, gochujang...There's no Western equivalent to that complexity and explosion of flavours. "

This rising interest in Eastern flavours extends naturally to spirits and cocktail culture. Libations kissed by Asian spirits like sake, shochu, soju, baiju, arak and more are appearing in bar menus everywhere. Michel's own brand, The Orientalist Spirits — award-winning vodka, gin, rum, and whisky with ingredients sourced across Asia — aims to amplify this movement.
His passion also extends to championing emerging producers throughout the region. Michel highlights Pistola, an agave spirit from Goa, and Samai, a Cambodian rum, as exemplars of regional innovation, alongside an exciting collaboration with a Japanese bartender who creates Asian bitters in a category long-dominated by Western brands.
Beyond championing individual producers, Michel also founded BARSTARS, a global tour that showcases the bar industry's brightest talents. Through this initiative, he facilitates dialogue sessions between Asian bartenders and their European counterparts in cities like Milan, fostering connections that spark creative collisions. These exchanges evolve into guest bartending shifts across continents — a cultural pollination that elevates both individual profiles and the collective craft.
"It's very important how you use your ingredients." Michel gestures towards the blush-hued, kimchi-laced cocktail on the table, topped with a triangle of toasted nori and anointed with perilla oil. It is playful on the palate with deep smoky notes, and a swish of that familiar tang at the end. "The kimchi flavour shouldn't jump out at you. It should flirt with you, get you curious about the notes you are tasting."
When it comes to fusion, the team at CODA approach each ingredient with intention, creating an alchemy where no single element dominates. CODA’s cocktails are bottle-rested to allow flavours to meld together, resulting in a smoother drink. Here, the use of Asian spirits and ingredients isn't about dominance but harmony. The goal is to layer and integrate flavours to create balance, complexity and intrigue.
This philosophy extends beyond individual drinks to CODA's very essence — more than just a bar, it is a hub for Asian spirits and flavours to continue their evolving dialogue with global cocktail culture.
Embark on an Asian-inspired cocktail journey at CODA and earn Comocredits with every spend.