Interview with Steve, a Hospo Pro

Let’s do a word association, when I say ‘hospitality’ what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

Booze. Knock offs were a big part of hospitality life.

What initially attracted you to hospitality, and what was your first experience?

Initially it was because I wanted a job that I would be able to take overseas during my early 20’s. My first job was at a university bar and cafe at Deakin Uni, where I was studying when I first finished high school.

Can you tell me about your journey from that point to where you are today?

I have been very, very fortunate in that I’ve always worked for young owners, that have been quite modern in the way that they handle hospitality. They have all been really giving with their time and mentorship. So, the first people I worked for this at the university bar, they also had a catering company, a bar in the city and cafes scattered around Melbourne. All four co-owners were under the age of thirty. So, in a very short period, at a very young age, I was able to learn a lot of stuff. I got a lot of experience, because they were very trusting with the responsibilities. They were very passionate about nice produce and not cutting costs. We used to say, you don't squeeze a penny to lose a dollar, and we would spend money to make money. From there, I went overseas for a while and by the time I came back, the four owners had gone their separate ways. I would still work for them in their own individual places whilst also doing work with other restaurants. After that, I got an opportunity with the Penny Black to open a cafe. I met the people that own the Penny Black, who then went on to open something like 15 venues. So again, it was just luck that I was able to meet these people. And so I did that for a couple of years, until I got tired of working on the weekends. And then that was the allure of Colab, to be able to work Monday to Friday, and be able to study part time. And then I met Craig and thought, I'll try my luck in Brewtech!

What has been your proudest achievement in your career over the years?

The friends I made in the early days of my career.

When you got your first job in hospitality, did you have any idea of the twists and turns your career would take to lead you to where you are today?

I do. The only way you get more money in hospitality is by doing more hours. The more hours you do, the more time you spend there. Back the early days of my first job at the Deakin Uni Cafe, the owners would be doing 80 hours a week, and I'd be doing 60. I was learning so much and getting to know them. The more hours you do, the more rapport you build and the more responsibility you’re given, which inevitably means more pay. And yeah, you kind of just fall into the positions, and start managing or supervising. I didn't start in that café on the first day thinking ‘I want to be a manager’, it was more organic, I'd say.

Do you think that non-linea career progression is something unique to hospitality?

Absolutely. Every time you change venue you have to start from the start. When I was in my mid-twenties and went overseas for a bit, I had to start from the bottom when I got back. You almost have to earn your stripes, and even if you do go into management roles in a new venue, you still have to earn your stripes. Unless you're a career hospitality worker, and you're working in hotels and restaurants, you probably don't go from management to management on the same money. Everybody goes up and down whenever you change venues.

What skills have you found have been transferable from café management to your management role at Brewtech?

Between all the good places I worked in, I also spent a lot of time working in horrible places. And through that I got experience working with strung out cafe operators who are losing money every day. I think that has been very beneficial, being able to understand what a barista wants vs what a cafe operator wants out of their service. Also in hospitality, you are always on the go. There is downtime but a service is a service. This is similar to Brewtech- the day is like a service day. You don't know what people are going to order. You’ve got an idea of how many tables are coming in, but you have no idea how many walk ins you'll get. At Brewtech, we've got an idea of booked jobs when we start the day, but we’ve got no idea how many times the phone's going to ring or what we’ll need to reshuffle. So that kind of frantic but organised chaos of a big service is very similar to what wemdeal with day to day at Brewtech.

What role does teamwork play in your day to day?

Everything, everything. A good team manages themselves. I don't play a huge role in the teamwork aspect of it. That's the team doing that. That's a cultural thing here at Brewtech. You don't have to manage teamwork, and it is the most important part of what we do here.

Do you think that’s a testament to the fact a lot of our techs have come from hospitality backgrounds?

A little bit. I think a lot of people work in hospitality long after they stop enjoying it. This helps develop a pretty thick skin. I think that really helps. Also, you develop the mentality of the harder I work, the easier it is for everybody else. In hospitality, if everyone's putting in a good effort, you're all getting out early. When you’re closing with five other people, you don't knock off when your job's done, you knock off when the whole thing's done. I find that with the people that in our team here, there is that mentality on the busy days. We all start together, and we all finish together.

What advice would you give to those who are looking to move into the coffee tech world?

Call Brewtech and ask for a job.

And finally, can you give me your best hospo related ‘hot take’?

Third wave café breakie is dead. I'm not paying $60 for eggs on toast with Istra bacon and farm aged avocado. Hot take.