Dennis Thurner
Co-founder and Bar Manager, Garnish Samui

Dennis, born and raised in Samui, has spent his entire working life in food and beverage, beginning in a hotel restaurant right after high school. His passion for hospitality was shaped early by his mother, who cooked and ran her own eatery, an environment that taught him the value of warmth, care and the power of good food. Wanting to translate his culinary upbringing into cocktails, Dennis draws heavily from childhood memories, local ingredients and the flavors of Southern Thai culture. Young mango with chili salt becomes a sweet-sour-refreshing cocktail, while sala in syrup transforms into a sorbet – each creation both a homage to local eating traditions and a spark of nostalgia.

His bartending journey has been built entirely through on-the-job experience, mentorship and self-teaching. Without formal training, Dennis has relied on curiosity and discipline to grow. For him, the charm of bartending lies in its ability to create joy: the simple act of turning someone’s evening into a better one, no matter how his day has been. The challenge he embraces is staying updated with new trends while preserving a clear sense of personal identity. Driven by this balance of innovation and rootedness, Dennis founded Garnish—an intimate, experimental bar tucked inside a fisherman village in Samui. Here, he showcases local produce through modern techniques, crafting drinks that capture both place and emotion. His work has also taken him abroad, with guest shifts in Kuala Lumpur, Saigon and most recently Singapore, further expanding his perspective and refining his craft