After finishing school I decided I wanted to take some time off before going to study, and decided to do my RSA and complete a bar course at my local pub. I started shortly after as a glassie, and I fell in love with the job and worked hard to move my way into a bartender position. I found that working in that environment surrounded by so many amazing peers, it really helped me to come out of my shell as a person. My work then became my study; and my passion. I travelled overseas and continued to learn and grow, and worked my way up to cocktail bartender, and eventually bar manager. I loved to compete in competitions, to try and push myself both creatively and personally, which led to strengthening my love for this industry.
I love the industry. I love that from day to day, it is never the same. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories, and sharing my own. I love the camaraderie of the hospitality industry. But I believe my true passion lies in creativity, and seeing my guests really enjoy their experience. I love passing on my knowledge to my peers and learning from them also. I love to try new things, and enjoy new experiences, and with the ever-changing beverage and culinary scene, the sky is the limit.
I don’t know if I hate anything about it. Hate is a strong word, but I’d say I dislike the very small percentage of hospitality staff that don’t put passion into their work and is reflected in their service. Hospitality isn’t just a means to an end, and when you’re in it for the right reasons, everyone benefits – with your customers being the most important.
Barangaroo House reopened after COVID. Personally, with Barangaroo House temporarily closed I have had to make changes to the way I live and not to mention, having a lot more time on my hands. One thing I have found, is that I now have a new outlook and appreciation for my work. I have tried to somewhat embrace the shutdown time, by trying to learn new skills like baking, and by spending time with friends old and new.
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As far as the business goes, there’s certainly a greater appreciation for those moments of catching up with friends and family and chef Tom Haynes and his team are creating a bunch of really delicious seasonal sharing menus, fun cocktails, and line-ups of DJs to cater for those catch ups. The hospitality industry is resilient, and I’m sure we will band together to get our bars and restaurants back to their former, pre-COVID glory.
We are currently going through a bit of a rebrand, that is a lot more approachable and fun so when our guests come to our venue, they can forget about everything that is happening around us, and embrace our amazing hospitality. The drinks and food will remain top notch alongside the service, but we have also implemented detailed new measures as part of our commitment to being a Covid-safe environment. This includes sign-in upon entry for all guests, cleaning all customer touchpoints after every use, contactless app-based ordering options, hand sanitising stations as well as practising social distancing between tables.
After all of this COVID crisis, I honestly just hope that life can return to normal, everyone is safe and we can all go back to comfortably enjoying a drink with friends without a care in the world.