{
  "id": 13823214,
  "title": "Rice to the occasion: Kimchi Lai mixes her way to global cocktail glory",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/rice-to-the-occasion-kimchi-lai-mixes-her-way-to-global-cocktail-glory",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-11T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/10/12/rice-to-the-occasion-kimchi-lai-mixes-her-way-to-global-cocktail-glory"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's rising bartender, Kimchi Lai, has won the prestigious Giffard West Cup 2026 in France, crafting two award-winning cocktails inspired by rice. The 26-year-old bartender, who only began full-time bartending a year ago, drew inspiration from a rice cooker and Chinese proverbs. Her winning drinks, \"Grain Potential\" and \"You'll Be All Rice,\" incorporated local flavors, like toasted glutinous rice cordial and cardamom rice milk. Lai's success marked her as the second Malaysian to win the international title, following David Hans in 2017, and could potentially make her the first woman to claim the title since the competition's inception in 1997. Despite her recent career transition, Lai emphasized the importance of a supportive community and passion in her bartending journey.",
  "summary": "This 26-year-old drew inspiration from an everyday kitchen appliance to emerge champion of the prestigious Giffard West Cup 2026.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Rice to the occasion: Kimchi Lai mixes her way to global cocktail glory",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/rice-to-the-occasion-kimchi-lai-mixes-her-way-to-global-cocktail-glory-13823234",
        "published": "2026-10-11T23:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}