Meet Me at the Bar: Niko Tiutan of Ito Space, Legazpi Village

How would you describe your philosophy as a bartender and barista?

Our current philosophy is a produce-oriented approach. It’s something that we have always adopted for coffee and naturally progressed towards cocktails as well. My mindset has shifted over the years, placing more emphasis on finding interesting ingredients rather than spirits. Both are equally important in a cocktail, but we are more focused on sourcing interesting produce and how we can extract the flavour that we want.

Who would you consider to be your greatest mentor?

I’ve been blessed to have interacted with so many amazing people and to have worked at my favourite restaurant (Toyo Eatery). As someone who was shaping and developing my palate for cocktails, my greatest mentor would have to be Francis Fulgencio, who was the bartender at Toyo at the time. The balance of his drinks really resonated with me, and I loved his shake. I consulted with him numerous times during my early years of bartending, so he helped lay down the foundations for me.

What are new trends in the bar industry? What are trends that you wish would go away?

These are not the newest trends, but a more culinary approach in terms of ingredient preparation and presentation is very relevant now. In addition to that, non-alcoholic options for bars are increasingly prevalent in modern bars. The bar industry has been closely watching innovations within the culinary world and adapted them in different ways to create new flavours and experiences. There aren’t many trends that I am not particularly a fan of, as each helps push something new for drinks. Perhaps the only trend that I am personally not a fan of are overly complicated garnishes. Unless it has a utilitarian role in flavour, they don’t always add value towards a drink. 

See also: We ask the experts: How do you create the perfect bar vibe?