Bartender guest shifts: What are they, and what can you expect from them?

Malaysia’s cocktail scene has seen an increase in ‘guest shifts’ lately. But what are they and what should you expect from them? – Photo: THE STAR/Michael Cheang

If you’re familiar with the Malaysian cocktail bar scene, you would have noticed that there has been quite a number of “guest shifts” happening in numerous bars lately. But what are these guest shifts and why has there been such an influx of them lately?

A guest shift essentially means that that particular bar is hosting a guest bartender who will be taking over the bar for the night, and serving his or her own drinks there. This can either be a bartender from a different bar (local or foreign), a brand ambassador of a particular brand, or even someone who isn’t even a bartender in the first place.