The Federal Store – A retro 1950s sensory experience is key at Federal Store. Now in its sixth year and a little bit out of town in Strandon, it’s a proven destination at any time of day for the coffee cultured and foodie inclined. Here’s 10 questions with Jeremy Burton for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

I was always surrounded by foodies. My Mother (Susie homemaker), older brother (the chef), Father (feed an army) and Grandad (the butcher) so I guess that a career in the industry was always on the cards

My first start was funnily enough doing the dishes for my brother at Backstage cafe in Stratford, Taranaki.

What inspires you?

The look of satisfaction on my customer’s faces. This is really what inspires me to keep going and keep improving. Also, produce! Food is a huge inspiration. I always want to do things a bit differently but also with quality and consistency.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

The personalities you meet, both suppliers and customers.

Also, the diverse options and creativity we have in this country. There is such an eclectic mix of colours, decors and themes that make NZ one of the most amazing cafe cultures of the world.

What are your key challenges?

The most challenging part of the job is keeping up the ideals that you’ve built your reputation on. With this in mind it’s also a constant battle to keep and develop staff who, let’s face it, are the stars that can make or break your business.

What is the secret to your success?

And here in lies the secret to success – building and forming great staff relationships. You have to keep them happy and look after them. Above all else follow through with your dreams and concepts. Don’t be half-arsed, go all in! And when you do believe in what you’re doing and trust yourself, 100 per cent commit and never deviate. 

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

Always carry your own can, never rely on others to do it for you. You create your own destiny not others. Also, always go out and be your best self, every single day.

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Be sure it’s what you really want to do! It’s a ruthless and hard and at times (if not all the time) all-consuming industry that gives little praise and lots of criticism. So, if you can deal with all that and have skin made of crocodile leather then go for it!

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

NZ Hospo industry is unique in its diverse range of cultural integration we have from back end to front of house and the flavour that this brings to our industry.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

Momofuku and milk in NYC also the Fat Duck and most definitely Hiakai in Wellington because that young lady is doing some amazing things that really are showcasing not only NZ food traditions but modern and foraging at its finest.

What do you do to relax?

The day I relax is the day I hang up my hospo badge and become a chauffeur. do enjoy golf and most definitely the beach as clichéd as it sounds. I do love burying my feet in the sand and re-connecting with the earth.

Check out Federal Store on Facebook

The General, new to Mt Maunganui in 2017 it quickly gone on to win multiple awards and most recently the Nourish Magazine Outstanding Cafe of the Year at the 2019 Bay Hospitality Awards. Here’s 10 questions with Malika Ganley, owner of The General, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

I was so fortunately born into the industry. My parents had tea rooms and cafes from before I was born so it was in the blood. Apparently I was put to sleep in the dry store as a baby.

These businesses didn’t continue right through my childhood but growing up I always loved baking and cooking and anything to do with the formalities of eating. From the age of 17  I worked in cafes and fell in love with the hustle of everything to do with food and beverage. I went on to study a BSC majoring in Nutirtion and then from there went on to culinary school.

What inspires you?

All hospitable experiences! Travel, Big cities, authentic food experiences, people who share their stories and backgrounds.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

The people! From suppliers to staff to customers. Also I love that it’s a blank canvas for creativity. You can make someone’s day with such small gestures. You are forever learning.

What are your key challenges?

Never knowing what any day is going to bring –  as much as it’s a challenge its also such a big part of the excitement.

What is the secret to your success?

Loving what I do; treating every person equally; sticking to our ethos in an industry where there are a lot of opinions; staying connected to the world outside of our business. 

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

As a young stewardess on private boats I was told to do a job once and do it properly because you’re not going to get away with anything less.

And from an old hat in hospo when I was going into business “always have your door open for any discussions, no matter how big or small.  

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Do it! Go in with an open mind, work hard and the rewards will come back. Always be willing to learn. Stay humble.

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

We are relaxed yet attentive. NZ hospitality is influenced by the world – from those that are transient througth the country to those that have immigrated to those that have traveled abroad and bought wonderful ideas back.  

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

French laundry and El Bulli if it was still open.

What do you do to relax?

Yoga, surf, cook, eating out, dreaming of the next travel destinations and read!

Check out The General on Facebook

In 2002, Emma and Ahmed met and moved from Wellington to Abu Dhabi and started a family. On a trip back to Ahmed’s hometown Toronto one year, they stumbled across the fabulous Snakes & Lattes. A board game cafe! Coffee and beer and food and board games. The germ of an idea started to form, and desert life was beginning to get hot and monotonous, so… they moved back to Wellington. They started looking and looking for a place to open a board game cafe and share their love of board games and coffee and beer and food. One day, they saw a TO LEASE sign underneath their old super cool inner city apartment. In a mad chaos of sleepless nights and ‘What ARE we doing?’ moments, they opened the doors of Counter Culture Board Game Cafe and Bar on 1 June 2017. Here’s 10 questions with Emma Smart, Co-owner of Counter Culture, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

In 2012, we were visiting Ahmed’s family in Toronto. We’d gone over from Abu Dhabi, which is where we were living at the time. We read about a new board game cafe that had opened there, Snakes and Lattes, so we went to have a look. It was great fun, and we loved the idea that you could pick a board game off the shelf and play it, while eating great food and having a beer or a coffee.

We returned to Abu Dhabi and over the next four years, started thinking of doing something similar back in New Zealand. We started hosting monthly board game evenings with a bunch of our friends, to practice teaching games, see what kinds of games people enjoyed, and also to see what kind of food and drink would work well, ones that could easily share the table space. The games evenings were so popular that we ramped it up to fortnightly.

When we returned to New Zealand, we opened Counter Culture, so we really came at hospitality from a board gaming angle, trying to ensure our food and drink would complement the games we had on offer. Beer was a no brainer -match made in heaven! Ahmed added the wine and cocktails as well as non-alcoholic and hot drinks for the gamers that want to keep their head clear for complex strategic thinking!

What inspires you?

All the amazing people who walk (or roll) through the door and have fun, day after day. We are thrilled that people comment on how welcoming the space is. You can really celebrate any occasion here and we’ve welcomed people for a broad variety of occasions from kids and adult birthday parties through to stag and hen nights and date nights. The people are really what makes this place and what gets us out of bed each day.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

Knowing that we are doing our bit to support other small businesses in the area, who work SO HARD, and building personal connections with them. All of our amazing suppliers from local brewers through to our great board game designers and publishers that just make what we do so much fun. It’s the good people in the industry working hard to help and support each other that really makes it.

What are your key challenges?

It’s probably the same issue as any café or restaurant owner: not enough hours in the day to do the thousand things that need doing. We are a couple with two young kids, so one of us always needs to be at home in the evenings. We are like four ships that pass in the night some weeks. We are finally starting to achieve a bit more school / work / home / life balance, though, after only two years. We also jumped into this industry with almost no experience, and a scary amount of naivete. I mean, how hard could it be, right?

Another challenge is that it’s sometimes hard to convince customers to go home. They’re just having too much fun!

What is the secret to your success?

We saw a growing trend in North America, Europe and Asia, and noticed that there was a gap in the market here. We did years of market research and business planning on the back of napkins which really helped us to understand what people were looking for from the experience.

We try to focus on not only having a range of games for all levels of “gamer”, but also to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment as well as a great selection of food and beverages. Excellent customer service is essential, right down to the last detail. We strive to be kind to the environment as well, and to treat all our customers and staff with respect.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

I once heard Raechal Ferguson from Field & Green quote Danny Meyer’s salt shaker theory and that struck a chord. “Your staff and your guests are always moving your saltshaker off center. That’s their job. It is the job of life. It’s the law of entropy! Until you understand that, you’re going to get pissed off every time someone moves the saltshaker off center. It is not your job to get upset.”

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Be unique, be genuine, be kind. And try to have fun!

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

Fabulous fresh food and flavours, and passionate people. A giant pool of talent and ideas for such a small nation.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

Hiakai, Field & Green, Rita, Larder, Juno, El Culo Del Mundo, Bambuchi and Shepherd. Working in the industry and having two small kids, it’s tough to find the time to eat out, sadly. When our kids grow up, perhaps.

What do you do to relax?

I like to run and read and Ahmed plays games and builds Lego!

Counter Culture recently featured on 7 Sharp! CLICK HERE to check out the video.

Check out Counter Culture’s website

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George Dennigan had his start in hospo as a teenager in Ireland. He stopped off in New Zealand as part of an OE for six months and decided it was where he wanted to be. George immigrated to New Zealand through sponsorship with Soul Bar & Bistro and became their Duty Manager, 10 years later after progressing through the ranks, he’s now General Manager of this Auckland restaurant, one that should be on everyone’s dining bucket list. Soul Bar & Bistro’s are big supporters of our Hospo Start programme, and was recognised with the Award of Excellence. Here’s 10 questions with George Dennigan, General Manager of Soul Bar, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

As a teenager, I took on a part-time job in a local restaurant in my hometown back in Ireland just to earn some money whilst going to uni. I remember my managers (Dee, Susan & Michelle) being true hospo professionals, full of energy and bursting with personality which they weren’t afraid to use on the floor with the customers. The whole buzz of customer service just got me. I was hooked!

What inspires you?

I love working with a team that shares the same passion and drive for the industry. At Soul, we’re all one big, crazy hospo family, we love what we do and we’re always trying to find ways to push the boundaries more and more to give our customers something new and different.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

For me it’s got to be the people. You meet so many different people from all walks of life. You get such a buzz when you see a happy customer or a familiar face come back to Soul time and time again. Our industry is a great stage for personalities of all kinds to shine and I love bringing a team of different individuals together and encouraging them to get out there on the floor and give their customers a very ‘down to earth’, personal style of service.

What are your key challenges?

As much as I love people, you have to deal with so many different personality traits. It’s a challenge but it’s about figuring out what ticks their boxes, what motivates them and what drives them mad. Personalities are going to clash sometimes, but as their manager you got to keep the peace, show no favouritism and find the common ground. It’s like being a parent to four siblings, but try having 80 of them!

What is the secret to your success?

I think it’s all about building relationships with your team. Listen to them, show an interest in their training and development and don’t be afraid to have an honest conversation with them. No matter what role you have, you must be willing to muck in when it’s busy, clear a table and get the team through the hustle of a busy service.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

Train, train, train! Always invest in training and upskilling your team. It pays off a hundred times over and the team are most likely to stick with you long term.

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Surround yourself with great mentors, ask them for advice and learn as much as you can. Soak it all up. And above all else, believe in yourself!

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

It’s the friendliness of our hospitality. It reminds me of the type of hospitality you would get at home in Ireland. So welcoming!

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

I’ve heard so much about “The French Laundry” in Napa Valley that I must pop over to California at some point and try it out.

What do you do to relax?

I find a routine at the gym helps keep the mind healthy. But you can’t beat a good bottle of pinot at your local to unwind after a busy day.

Check out Soul Bar’s website

Emma Mettrick and Welshman Paul Howells met working in Galway, Ireland in 2007. On returning to/being dragged to New Zealand they set up the Little Bistro in Akaroa in 2010. Post quakes, a longing to return to Emma’s home town Christchurch meant selling up and opening Twenty Seven Steps in August 2015. Here’s 10 questions with Emma Mettrick, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

I managed to get a summer job at the Astrolabe in Akaroa working for Tui and Mike Joblin when I was 16. I then continued working throughout school, uni and then travelling and just didn’t stop. I realised I loved it.

What inspires you?

People mainly. Also trying to make my son Finn proud of me and what we do (my attempts at the floss haven’t).

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

Again people! Every day you are dealing with different folks – suppliers, customers, winemakers, co-workers et al.  Every day is slightly different and you never quite know what is around the corner.

What are your key challenges?

Dealing with immigration over the years. Some logic in the process would be helpful.

What is the secret to your success?

What is success?! We are just doing what we know, touch wood it continues.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

The best piece is actually the piece I’ve ignored “there are easier ways to make money” Money should never be your driver.

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Believe it is a real job.

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

There are still lots of passionate owner/operators and direct access to great produce/producers is getting easier.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

Ahh so many! Where to start. In NZ Hiakai and Pasture but then there are many newly opened places in Otautahi too. I need to get out more!

What do you do to relax?

What is that?! Cooking but then that isn’t relaxing when my son doesn’t appreciate my weird dinner creations. Also walking my dog and drinking wine with my girl gang.

Check out Twenty Seven Steps’ website

Starting as a humble food caravan, Sushi Ninja opened their first restaurant in central New Plymouth in 2007, followed by a second, Sushi Ninja Express in 2017. Owner and manager, Sophie Kurota was born in New Zealand to a Japanese mother (Tokyo) and a Kiwi father. She has lived for an equal period of time in both countries, getting the best of both worlds and is a bi-cultured person. She is the manager and face of Sushi Ninja and in charge of the front of house team, marketing and overall making sure things go smoothly. Her hobby is her job. She loves people and loves her customers and team. Often she is referred to the “Work Mum”. She quotes, “Ken fell in love with Taranaki’s surf and I fell in love with the landscape and the people.” Here’s 10 questions with owner and chef, Sophie Kurota, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

My first experience was as a waitress in Tokyo, Japan. I was brought up in Tokyo but later returned to NZ and again did a few waitressing jobs as well as some tour guiding work looking after Japanese tourists that visit NZ. I just love working with people.

What inspires you?

I’m naturally a people pleaser so seeing customers be happy and rave about our service and product, really makes me happy. If there is something that wasn’t perfect then it makes me try even harder. I am always learning how to make the experience that much better.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

The team and of course the customers. We feel very close to our team as though they are part of the family and our customers are like friends.

What are your key challenges?

Key challenges are when costs of things go up such as wages, insurance and rent. These overheads will have to be passed onto the customer. It is not something we like doing but inevitable.

What is the secret to your success?

Probably the fact, that we are constantly researching new things, staying positive when things are tough and just keep doing what we love to do – making people happy!

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Take things day by day.

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

The biggest misconception is that hospitality is easy. It is easy enough to start a place up with a bit of money and experience but the hardest is to make it last. So many places don’t make it past the second year. Your shop is your baby and must be managed well. You need to have the drive and passion to get through tough times and be willing to change to improve things.

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

NZ Hospitality is quite diverse. I think this makes dining out a great experience and not just to fill your tummy.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

Jiro’s sushi bar in Tokyo and Ramen noodles at the Ramen museum in Yokohama.

What do you do to relax?

Spending time with our only daughter. Going on outings or trips as a family. Hot baths are always good too especially after some good wine.

Find out more about Sushi Ninja’s story on their website

Morell, a modern bistro set on the leafy corner of Upland & Benson Road in Remuera, is the “restaurant” dream for both Daniel and Sarah Morini, this seasoned hospitality couple have worked for exceptional local & worldwide chefs and restauranteurs including Neil Perry, Peter Gordon, Frank Chek, Mark Wallbank, Simon Gault & Chris Rupe. Here’s 10 questions with owner and chef, Daniel Morini, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

I think I was always destined for the kitchen. My late Dad from Bologna Italy was a great chef, he always worked in restaurants when we were young. In 2001 he opened up his own restaurant in Pt Chev called Pasta & Opera. I was at SPQR then working as kitchen hand. Growing up in Freemans Bay/Ponsonby all my mates had a stint at SPQR, my older brother did also, who got me my first real job there at the age of 17.

What inspires you?

My culture is where I get most of my inspiration from, being Italian Maori is such a cool blend …. Both cultures are all about love, food, family, entertaining. My heritage and my people make me want to be recognised for what I have achieved.

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

The people you meet and work with. There are all bit crazy! I think you have to be to work in such a demanding industry. But honestly I love feeding people, it’s the most simple thing that can make a person so happy.

What are your key challenges?

TRAFFIC! LOL. My main key challenge is the work/life balance. It never feels like there are enough hours in the day.

What is the secret to your success?

I don’t think there is any great secret. It all comes down to hard work and passion… you have to love what you do. We are really genuine about what we do, everything about Morell is about love from the food, the service, the décor, everything.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

Honestly sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in everything, and feel under pressure.

Two things I’ve heard over the years is “Don’t over complicate things” and my wife and I often go back to the old saying “it’s just a restaurant, we are not saving lives!” It’s just important not to take things too seriously and enjoy all the ups and downs.

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

It ain’t easy! Be prepared to live and breath your business. And don’t have a baby two months before opening!

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

We are just one big melting pot of full of culture and flavour in a land that provides exceptional produce.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

Internationally – I would love to visit Felix Trattoria in LA and Osteria Francescana in Italy… although I could go on and on. Here at home, I would love to get to Apero on K road and Hai Kai in Wellington as I love the concept of Maori fine food.

What do you do to relax?

Believe it or not I don’t like relaxing! I love chaos. I come from a big family so I love having all the whanau over with kids running around and food always being cooked. I do love rugby league, having my alone time watching the games on record  when my wife and daughter are asleep is probably my biggest downtime.

Check out Morell’s website

Sue, a renowned chef, set up The Great Catering Company in 1995. Trained at the Savoy Hotel in London, she saw a need to cater to the food-driven dreams of a discerning market. Sue’s stellar kitchen talents have brought tremendous success. Her company is the leader in the private and corporate catering world. Here’s 10 questions with Sue Fleischl, for this Member Spotlight.

What made you decide to go into the industry / what gave you your first start in hospitality?

I have always loved cooking. My mother died at an early age and my father (a jewish refugee from Vienna) loved European food. As children growing up, we all had to help out in the kitchen and the garden. Preparing and cooking food is what we all had to do.

This may sound totally corny, but when I was 11, I won the “cook of the year” award at Napier Intermediate school. From that day, I decided I wanted to be a chef.

My father wrote to all the big Hotels in Europe and the only hotel that responded was The Savoy. When I was 17 years old, straight after 7^th form, I was on a plane to London where I worked my way around every partie in the kitchen. This set me up with a glowing reference and my career as a chef.

What inspires you?

With food, I get most of my inspiration from visual stimulation. Going to local markets and looking at pictures.

With business, I get inspired by talking to other people in the industry as well as talking to my team on how we can improve and do things more efficiently and better than last time. I get a lot of inspiration from attending the conferences in the USA, they do everything on such a grand scale with grand budgets to match!

What do you love about the hospitality industry?

We are in the industry of making people happy. It is a feel good industry. Everything from a wedding, a 50^th birthday dinner, a product launch or a funeral is a celebration of some thing or someone. We are here to make someone’s day. What’s not to love about that?

What are your key challenges?

Our key challenges are people related. Finding committed staff is not easy. In Europe they see hospitality as a career, to many in New Zealand, it is “only a job”.

What is the secret to your success?

Don’t give up, believe in yourself and aim high.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date in your hospitality career?

One day years ago, when everything seemed to be too hard (yes we all have these days), a wise chef said to me “Stop! Take a deep breath, and start at the beginning”

What one piece of advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Find someone you admire in the industry and ask if you can have a coffee with them. Ask them about their journey, what they have learnt and what advice they can give you. Everyone will have a different story. I asked a woman I admire in business (she wasn’t in hospitality) to have coffee with me and she introduced me to so many people who I then did business with as well, she also helped me market my business. It was GOLD.

What do you think makes NZ Hospitality unique?

Our friendliness.

Which restaurants are on your dining bucket list?

I definitely have to go back to Pasture again. The best dining experience in New Zealand.

What do you do to relax?

Every morning I walk Takapuna beach or take the paddle board out. I love the sea.

During the weekends, its gardening that calms me down.

Check out The Great Catering Company’s website