How did you start out in your industry, and what venues have you worked in throughout your career?
I fell into bartending after finishing a degree in music in the UK and very quickly got hooked. After several pub years in the UK, I moved to Sydney in 2012 and threw myself headfirst into the hastily developing small bar scene. My first Sydney job was at the now closed Grasshopper Bar, this was then followed by O Bar & Dining, Papa Gedes Bar, NOLA Smokehouse & Bar and then I joined Bistecca in November 2020,
What did you feel, in an emotive sense, when you first came into contact with the Feels Botanical brand and product range?
When I first encountered Feels Botanical, I was immediately drawn to its connection to nature. As someone who loves spending time outdoors—whether hiking, camping, or just escaping the city—the brand's natural and sustainable ethos resonated with me. I also appreciated the modern, inviting aesthetic of the packaging. Most people's first experience with Eau De Vie is snagging a whiff of that dated, dusty bottle on the back bar or at the back of their parent's liquor cabinet, Feels made the category present in a more modern and approachable manner.
What were the synergies between the Feels brand and your venues?
All of our venues try to do something a little differently, whether it’s taking phones away during the dining experience or white glove burger service in our bars. Feels does things differently too so it obviously had a place in our venues.
How and why did you want to utilise Feels as a product offering to your clientele and which one are you currently using?
We use Feels Bask in our new highball on tap at The Rover ‘How’d You Like Them Apples?’, the biscuit/marzipan notes just helped fill in the gaps that were missing in the drink.
Tell us about the place you tap into when you work on bringing to life a drink within your venue?
Literally anything can set me off, a new product, some cool produce, a new technique, something I ate or drank once and sometimes I just have a funny pun or name that I want to build a drink around… Captain Corelli’s Mandarin anyone?
How has working on this project inspired, challenged and pushed your approach to your work?
Every new drink creates a challenge, whether it’s trying to recreate a flavour you have in your head or trying to nail the presentation. With this drink we were aiming to have a cocktail and non-alc that presented and tasted as identical as possible. I think we got pretty close.
During your creative process, what role does feeling and logic play? Is one more important than the other?
All my ideas will begin as a feeling, logic comes to the party a lot later. There’s plenty of drink ideas I have that I’m still logically trying to work out how to present them on a more commercial scale. Everyone can make one good drink; a lot of my job is making sure we can do it on scale.
Is there a person or artist(s) that first inspired you?
I draw on inspiration from lots of different places. I really enjoy working with chefs as they tend to have a lot of experience with processing produce in fun and creative ways; it’s an art that the bars community came to quite late.
When do you feel most creative…
A lot of my ideas come when I’m not in the venues, if I’m in a venue I’m normally ‘on’, When walking between venues or walking home I just let my mind wander and that’s when the creative process starts.
When I’m feeling burnt out, I wind down and reset by…
Watching a series with my partner, walking our dog or cooking.
My favourite way to drink Feels is…
Feels Bask + Fresh Apple, so good.
When I’m drinking Feels Bask & Apple, I set the mood with this song:
Something old and disco like Earth Wind & Fire ‘In the Stone’
The person (dead or alive) I’d most like to drink it with…
My grandfather: He passed away when I was pretty young, but he was an absolute character. Would love to hear his stories over a beer.
What you may not know about me…
I believe that Violet Crumbles are hugely inferior to Cadbury Crunchie.
Advice to those wanting to get into your field:
- Find people you like and respect and work with them.
- There are so many lessons to be learned in the mistakes so don’t be afraid to make them.
- If you need help, ask!
Watch the full video of the making of 'How'd you like them apples' featuring Feels Bask curated by Ben Ingall. Currently being served at The Rover, Surry Hills.
