Meet PLUME's Head Mixologist

Akmal Haqim

Akmal brings over a decade of experience and a career shaped by some of the region’s most acclaimed bars. He began his journey at Tanjong Beach Club in 2016, where his passion for bartending took root, before honing his craft at 28 HongKong Street. During his time there, he sharpened his craft through American-style bartending with a wide range of classics, deeper knowledge in spirits, and balancing different flavours.The bar also earned global recognition, ranking #24 in “Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023” and #55 on the extended list of “World’s 50 Best Bars 2022”.⁣⁣

He later joined Jungle Ballroom as Assistant Bar Manager under the mentorship of Adrian Besa, where he was a founding team member and played a key role in its pre-opening. He also represented the bar at guest shifts abroad and co-created its second cocktail menu, “Jungle Journeys Vol. 2”. During his tenure, the bar was named #187 in the “Top 500 Bars 2024” list.

⁣⁣Now Head Mixologist at PLUME, Akmal brings an Asian perspective to his approach to cocktails, using flavours and storytelling to give each creation a distinct sense of place and narrative. This comes through in PLUME’s latest menu, “The Great Migration”, where each cocktail tells the story of migratory birds and their remarkable journeys across different landscapes, translated through adventurous flavour profiles and expressions. His craft has also earned him individual recognition as a Top 10 Finalist at Diageo World Class Singapore 2026, further marking his place among Singapore’s emerging bartending talents.⁣