Antonio Lai | Founder and Owner of Quinary | The Bartender Who Refused To Stop Learning

Antonio Lai was 16 years old when he went to hospitality training school. His school results weren't great. So he got a certificate in food and beverage and housekeeping and started looking for work. Nobody wanted an 18-year-old checking them in at a hotel. So he ended up as a server. Then one day he saw a bartender juggling bottles like Tom Cruise. He knew immediately: that's what I want to do. Years passed. He worked his way up through nightclubs during the golden era of cocktails. But something was missing. He wanted to create something different. At 30 years old, he went to Italy for barista training. While there, he found a book about molecular mixology. Caviar. Lasers. Different techniques to create drinks. He thought: this is it. He taught himself. Went to London. Went to Spain. Learned from pioneers. Paid for everything himself. Nobody in Hong Kong was doing this. So he decided to be first. He met Charlene through a mutual connection. She had money. He had knowledge. Together they opened Quinary in 2012. The first year, they made Asia's 50 Best list. Year after year, consistently ranked. While bars opened and closed around them, Quinary stayed. How? Consistency. From the drinks to the service. Every day, whether in Hong Kong or traveling globally, Antonio bars hops. Tastes drinks. Learns. He still makes drinks behind the bar. He still shows up. After 12 years, most bars are gone. Quinary is still here. Because he refused to copy what everyone else was doing. Because he stayed curious. Because he believed in basics first, innovation second. His advice to young bartenders: learn to walk before you run. Master the classics. Then innovate. What would you create if you had to be first at it? Follow WORLD OF CS if you want to master hospitality and leadership