Movers & Shakers: Fransiska Putri on Turning Challenges into Craft

On any given night at Modernhaus, it’s easy to miss the woman who keeps the wheels turning. She isn’t always front and center shaking tins or greeting guests with flair. Instead, you’ll find her somewhere behind the scenes, measuring, prepping, tasting, with quiet precision and the kind of focus that makes chaos look calm. That’s Fransiska Putri, one of Jakarta’s most quietly influential bartenders, and the R&D powerhouse behind some of the city’s most respected bar concepts: The Cocktail Club, Modernhaus, and Bottom Parlour.

It’s not the most glamorous position, but it’s one that defines her. “I accept challenges,” she says, “but I’ll always do it in my own way.” That mindset, stubborn, methodical, and fiercely independent, has shaped her journey from barista to one of Jakarta’s most trusted creative minds behind the bar.

Roots & Rise

Fransiska’s story begins not with a cocktail shaker, but with coffee. She started as a barista in 2015, eventually finding herself questioning the limits of that routine. “My mentor once asked me, ‘How long do you see yourself making coffee for thousands of people every morning?’” she recalls. It wasn’t criticism; it was a challenge. That same mentor saw potential in her long before she did. “He believed I could be great as a bartender, even when I was just a barista,” she says.

But the transition wasn’t smooth. “It was hard, 12-hour shifts, physically and mentally drained, covering up senior bartenders’ mistakes,” she remembers. What kept her going were two notoriously tough mentors, “cold-hearted,” she says with a laugh, who shaped her resilience through relentless standards. “I hated them back then, and they knew it. But they never failed to make sure I learned.” Their words stuck with her: You’ll be great one day, and you’ll make me proud.

That mix of toughness and care became her compass. It gave her the grit to survive a series of turning points, from being forced to return to Indonesia from Dubai in 2020, to a far more personal challenge two years later. In 2022, a tumor diagnosis and subsequent cancer treatment halted her ambitions for months. “It took six months to get on my feet again,” she says. “It was a long journey that forced me to love myself again.”

That period, painful as it was, reshaped her relationship with her work. It reminded her that success in hospitality isn’t about surviving another shift; it’s about understanding humanity, humility, and the value of connection.

Craft & Creativity

Today, Fransiska channels that philosophy into her work at Modernhaus, where she leads prep and R&D. It’s a behind-the-scenes role that demands both precision and imagination, and it’s where she thrives. Following Modernhaus’ recent recognition on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, the team has been laser-focused on maintaining consistency while developing new ideas for future events and collaborations.

She lights up when talking about ongoing projects with Bule, the bar’s co-founder. “Bule always has something out of the box in his head,” she says. “So I’ll definitely be busy until the end of the year.”

Her approach to drink creation mirrors her personality: thoughtful, quietly experimental, and rooted in curiosity. She’s not interested in overcomplicating things. “I’m getting crazy about simplicity,” she admits. “I’ve been reading about perfume, essential oils, dry ingredients like roots and woods, even color analysis.” It’s a sensory-driven exploration that aligns with a growing movement toward minimalism and purpose in modern cocktail craft.

Ask her about her favorite creation, and she doesn’t hesitate: Tomatini. Inspired by gazpacho, this savory yet refreshing cocktail took an hour and a half to develop and quickly became a fan favorite at The Cocktail Club. “Some of our talents even brought it to international takeovers,” she says proudly. “It’s my baby.”

Her philosophy is simple but sharp: drinks should be replicable and repeatable. “It’s easy for other bartenders to re-create my drinks,” she explains. “And that makes guests want another glass.” For Fransiska, success isn’t just about making one great drink; it’s about creating experiences that last.

The Indonesian Bar Scene

Like many bartenders of her generation, Fransiska has witnessed the Jakarta bar scene transform in just a few short years. What excites her most is the sense of solidarity. “The support!” she says. “We share so much knowledge, we grow together, holding hands to make the world see us. That’s a dream team.”

It’s an ecosystem built on collaboration rather than competition, something that sets Indonesia apart in the region. She speaks with genuine pride about peers who are pushing boundaries: Cosmo Pony representing Indonesia abroad, The Golden Tooth consistently delivering balanced, creative drinks, and HATS adding sweet, dessert-inspired flair to the scene.

At the same time, she recognizes the challenges that come with growth. “Now that the world is watching, we have to stay grounded,” she says. Her advice for younger bartenders? ATM — amati, tiru, modifikasi. Observe, imitate, and modify. “We can learn from others, but we should always make it our own.”

Future & Legacy

Fransiska isn’t chasing titles or trophies. Her vision is more personal, and perhaps more powerful. “My dream is to help my team members get to the level they want to be,” she says. She’s been collecting notes, lessons, and ideas she plans to compile and share one day, a quiet roadmap for the next wave of bartenders.

Her advice to those starting out is refreshingly grounded. “Just keep going,” she says. “One bad day is okay, but promise yourself to show up and be better.”

It’s the kind of wisdom that doesn’t shout for attention; it lingers. Like the aftertaste of a perfectly balanced cocktail, her presence in the industry is subtle but lasting. Fransiska might not be the loudest voice in the room, but her influence runs deep through the bars she shapes, the people she mentors, and the new standards she quietly sets.

In an era when the spotlight often chases personality over craft, Fransiska Putri reminds us that true leadership can be calm, deliberate, and deeply human. And in that steady rhythm behind the bar, where precision meets heart, she’s already redefining what it means to be a mover and shaker in Indonesian bartending.