Michele Montauti                                                                                                                                             

Born and bred in Pescara, an idyllic province on Italy’s Adriatic coast, Michele started his professional journey in the kitchen, where his love for cooking inspired him to pursue an education in hospitality. But upon receiving a culinary degree from L’Istituto Filippo De Cecco, he found that bartending was the job more suitable for his outgoing, friendly and sociable personality. Michele then sought bartending experiences in different establishments including Winnie’s, the historic bar in the Grand Hotel Gardone, at Lake Garda. He then spent a year and a half honing his bartending and language skills in Australia before moving to Bangkok to start a new chapter of his life in 2014.

Like most bartenders, Michele gradually shifted from flair to flavors. His culinary approach to cocktail making makes him a unique talent in the Bangkok beverage scene. His stripped down, lean and balanced creations are meticulously conceptualized with inspirations drawn from truly Italian muses that include variety of flavors from foods, colors from fashion and perspective from art. In the bar scene, Michele’s name is synonym to wholesome and visually captivating mixology.

Also a name closely related to all things Italian in the Bangkok beverage world, as Michele is one of the scene’s first arrivals from Italy, his warm affection for Campari is publicly known. While his favorite drink to serve is a Negroni, he is often seen winding down the day with a refreshing American in hand.

Michele’s mark on the beverage scene kept flourishing after numerous roles. He is now at the helm of The Loft, recently ranks at number 88 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022 and number 414 on World Top 500 Best Bars 2022 lists. He also occasionally gives masterclasses and engages in special guest shift events, spreading his passion for impressive drinks and Italian way of life.