Movers and Shakers: Demitria on Pastry Roots, Sorbet Dreams, and Playful Cocktails

On a humid evening in Jakarta, guests at Hats Bar lean over their glasses as a small, fizzing “bath bomb” dissolves in tequila soda. The drink is playful, almost mischievous, but layered with guava, pandan, and yuzu. For founder Demitria Dana Paramita, it’s not just a cocktail, it’s a reminder that creativity can take familiar comforts and turn them into something unforgettable.

“I craft cocktails with the same care and creativity I brought to pastry,” she says. “Each drink is designed to surprise and delight, like a perfect little treat. Come for the flavors, stay for the good vibes.”

That philosophy, rooted in her early years as a pastry chef, now defines her role as both bartender and entrepreneur.

Roots & Rise

Before she was behind the bar, Demitria was behind an oven. A culinary arts student in Malaysia, she immersed herself in pastry and baking, where precision and creativity went hand in hand. That training gave her a natural advantage when she transitioned into bartending, sparked by joining her university’s competition team.

The early days weren’t easy. She saved money to visit cocktail bars, asked senior bartenders to show her how to make a proper Manhattan, and bought every cocktail book she could find. “At that time, social media wasn’t what it is today,” she recalls. “Books and conversations were my teachers.”

Mentors shaped her journey. Amanda Wan, calling in from Hong Kong, shared encouragement. Shaun Liew deepened her understanding of coffee, while in Singapore, World Class champion Bannie Kang became a guiding influence. It was Kang’s words, “No pain, no gain,” that kept her going when challenges loomed.

One of the toughest was closer to home. Growing up in a traditional Medanese family, becoming a bartender was far from expected, especially for a woman. “I signed my contract before telling them,” she admits. To prove her commitment, she entered 13 competitions in a single year. Winning some, losing others, she used each experience to sharpen her skills. Her persistence soon paid off with major accolades, beginning with the Assam Laksa Cocktail, which won Malaysia’s Monin Cup in 2016 and earned her a Top 6 finish at the Monin Cup Asia Pacific finals.

Breakthrough Moments

For Demitria, the turning point came with a bowl of noodles, or rather, what it represented. Inspired by her comfort food, Penang assam laksa, she created a cocktail that captured its aromatic, savory, and refreshing notes. The drink, served with pickle cucumber noodles, struck a chord with guests. “Seeing how that drink brought a smile and excitement to the community made me realize bartending was the perfect way to combine my love for flavors and creativity,” she says.

The recognition that followed cemented her confidence. Newspaper and magazine features highlighted her inventive style, and years later, Malaysians still visit Hats to relive that nostalgic moment. In 2020, she went on to win Bacardí Legacy Singapore with her cocktail Ramona, a victory that gave her a professional nickname and further elevated her on the regional stage. Most recently, she reached the Top 3 of the global 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship in 2023, showcasing her ideas on innovation and bar culture to an international audience.

Another milestone was standing on stage as a speaker at an industry event. “From pastry chef to bar owner, it felt like a full-circle moment,” she reflects. “It reminded me how far passion and persistence can take you.”

Craft & Creativity

Today, Demitria runs Hats Bar alongside Hats Sorbet, a gelato and sorbet shop that doubles as its entrance. Guests walk past freezers of frozen treats before stepping into the cocktail space, a deliberate choice that blurs the line between dessert and drink.

“Sad or happy or anxious, we need ice cream and cocktails in those moments,” she says with a laugh. “They’re companions for our emotions.”

Her style is marked by a refusal to be straightforward. “I always believe flavour A + flavour B can produce flavour C,” she explains. That philosophy is why her menus often feature unexpected pairings such as fermented fruits, torch ginger, or edible bath bombs, blending pastry precision with cocktail spontaneity.

Two drinks showcase her approach:

Assam Laksa Cocktail – A deconstructed ode to Penang’s famous dish, built with pineapple jam, assam jawa broth, torch ginger, mint, ginger, sea salt, and gin, served in a bowl with cucumber noodles. The drink evokes comfort food nostalgia while surprising guests with its balance of aromatics and acidity.

Doger Bomb – A tequila soda elevated with an edible bath bomb made from pandan, coconut, and lacto-fermented guava. “The more you drink, the fizzier it gets,” Demitria grins. The drink embodies her belief that cocktails should evolve with every sip.

Her current obsession is float-style cocktails with sorbet and gelato, a nod to her pastry roots and an extension of her bar’s identity. With collaborations underway, including one with a local airline for sorbet service, it’s clear that Hats is more than a bar: it’s an experiment in joy.

The Indonesian Bar Scene

Demitria is quick to highlight that her journey is inseparable from the larger momentum in Jakarta. “The city is on fire now,” she says. “Everyone has their own ways of serving their thoughts and concept. There’s more personality in each bar these days, and I love it.”

She cites Cosmo Pony for reminding her of her second home, Singapore, Aftermath for its futuristic concept, and the soon-to-open Dualism, which explores one set of ingredients from two perspectives. For her, the strength of Indonesia’s scene lies not only in diversity but also in solidarity: “It will always be easier and lighter if we support each other, and we are definitely doing it already.”

Still, challenges remain, especially for young bartenders. Cultural hesitation, or sungkan, often keeps newcomers from voicing their ideas. Yet she sees cultural shifts underway, with more Indonesians embracing cocktail culture and international visitors spreading the word abroad. In the next few years, she believes Jakarta will become an essential stop on Asia’s cocktail map.

Future & Legacy

Demitria’s focus now is building a team culture where training, confidence, and creativity thrive. She dreams of elevating Hats to international recognition while leaving behind a legacy that inspires younger bartenders. “I want to create a lasting legacy that transforms our local cocktail scene,” she says.

Her advice to newcomers is simple but sharp:

• Master the classics.

• Use ingredients that represent your identity.

• Keep learning, stay humble, and don’t rush the process.

• If you can, gain experience abroad, it accelerates growth.

From pastry kitchens in Malaysia to a sorbet-bar hybrid in Jakarta, Demitria’s path has been anything but predictable. What ties it together is her relentless curiosity and her ability to transform comfort into creativity. Whether it’s a laksa in liquid form or a fizzing guava bath bomb, her drinks carry the same message: joy, craft, and a dash of surprise.

It’s also a story marked by milestones, from winning Malaysia’s Monin Cup and Bacardí Legacy Singapore to reaching the Top 3 of the 50 Best Bars Scholarship. It’s why she stands as one of Indonesia’s true Movers & Shakers, a bartender who not only redefines flavor but also reshapes how Jakarta drinks, celebrates, and dreams.