Explore every episode of the podcast Kitchen Day Podcast

Eric Kong is 24 years old and runs Dragons, Wellington's most beloved yum cha institution on Tory Street in Wellington. But the story starts in 1908, when his great-great-grandfather arrived in New Zealand alone at 14, paid the Chinese poll tax, and started a fruiterers' guild that gave the Chinese community a foothold in Wellington. Five generations of hospitality has followed, and Eric has been part of it since before he could really choose otherwise.

In this episode Dom sits down with Eric to trace the whole arc. The fruit shops, the fish and chip shops, the fine dining restaurant his aunt founded, and the massive yum cha room Eric now runs with a team of twenty through weekend services of 600+ covers. This is a story about legacy, about family, and about a deeply held belief that service is the most honourable career you can have. 

A huge thanks to the rostering gods at Droppah for backing Season 2 of The Kitchen Day Podcast.

We also couldn’t do this without the support of the team at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range . These guys love hospo as much as we do. 

Melissa Lind didn’t plan to become the General Manager of one of Wellington’s busiest restaurants. She walked into Charley Noble with a single CV, no appointment, and asked for a job. Three months later, she was running the floor. Eight years on, Mel oversees Charley Noble and The Food Lab as GM of Knife Block Hospitality, leading huge services, managing teams of up to 75 staff, and navigating the beautiful chaos of modern hospitality. This episode is packed with the kinds of stories you genuinely couldn’t make up: clarified butter taking out the power during a packed dinner service, celebrity walk-ins, brutal restaurant reviews, impossible customers, and the line that won an entire dining room after one guest pushed too far.

In this candid and often hilarious conversation, Mel talks with Dom about what really goes into running a high-volume restaurant in Wellington, New Zealand. They get into restaurant culture, hospitality leadership, hiring for values over experience, post-COVID staffing shortages, and why the old-school “screaming chef” era had to die. Mel also reflects on the five-day stage she did at legendary Vancouver restaurant Chambar, an experience that completely reshaped the way she thinks about systems, service, and team culture in hospitality.

The episode also dives into the emotional side of the restaurant industry: how reviews affect operators, the pressure of maintaining standards at scale, and why great hospitality is ultimately about reading people. 

If you’re interested in restaurants, hospitality, food culture, leadership, Wellington dining, or what actually happens behind the scenes of a busy service, this is one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on Kitchen Day so far.

The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Droppah. These guys make rostering for hospo feel like a walk in the park. 

A big thank you also to the team at Coffee Supreme and the folks Craggy Range for bringing these episodes to life. 

Roger Young is a true Cuba Street original - a hospitality rockstar whose venues helped shape the soul of Wellington. In this episode, Roger shares the wild, funny, and fearless stories behind building iconic spots like Little Gringo’s and Fidel’s, from scraping by in the early days to creating places that would become cultural institutions.

With no regrets and no filter, Roger talks about the chaos of hospitality, the importance of community, and why creativity and authenticity matter more than scale. He reflects on the risks he took, the lessons learned from decades in the industry, and a dramatic boating accident that mirrors the pressure and unpredictability of life in hospitality.

This is a candid, big-hearted conversation about resilience, storytelling, and what it really takes to build something that lasts - on Cuba Street and in life.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Boring Oat Milk⁠, a New Zealand owned company making oat milk right here in Aotearoa, from NZ grown oats.

We'd also like to thank the good folks at ⁠Upstock⁠ - if you buy or sell wholesale, this app has all your invoicing, ordering, logistics and payments in one place.

We're supported by the team at ⁠Droppah⁠. Droppah takes the chaos out of scheduling with smart, skills-based rostering that helps you get the right people on, at the right time.

As always, we film pre-service at ⁠Loretta⁠ Restaurant, and our podcast is recorded and produced by Jono Tucker at ⁠Empire Films⁠.

Thanks for listening!

Hey! Dom here. This isn't an ad, but I have a favour to ask! I'd love your feedback on Season 1 of the Kitchen Day Podcast. It'll only take 3 minutes of your time, but it'll help us shape Season 2. Tell me what you're loving, and what you'd like to hear more of in future episodes!

SURVEY HERE - ⁠forms.gle/YJQeJ7fMM4WBSXWN9

In this episode, we sit down with Kate McMillan Hutchison of the iconic Wellington establishment Capitol, to talk about her journey into hospitality and how that path has changed over time. Kate shares how she first found her way into the industry, the role her education played in shaping how she thinks about service, and why hospitality became a place where she felt a real sense of belonging.

From there, the conversation moves into what happens when you add parenthood and partnership into the mix, and how returning to the floor can shift your sense of identity in ways you don’t always expect. We talk honestly about the day-to-day realities of working in hospitality while raising a family, the importance of strong support systems at work and at home, and what it takes to care for guests and teams at the same time.

Kate also reflects on Wellington’s hospitality community, the impact of COVID-19, changing expectations around sustainability, and why valuing the people who work in hospitality really matters. It’s a grounded, open chat about service, care, and finding a way to make hospitality work across the different seasons of one's life.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by Boring Oat Milk, a New Zealand owned company making oat milk right here in Aotearoa, from NZ grown oats.

We'd also like to thank the good folks at Upstock - if you buy or sell wholesale, this app has all your invoicing, ordering, logistics and payments in one place.

We're supported by the team at Droppah. Droppah takes the chaos out of scheduling with smart, skills-based rostering that helps you get the right people on, at the right time.

As always, we film pre-service at Loretta Restaurant, and our podcast is recorded and produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

Thanks for listening!

Hey! Dom here. This isn't an ad, but I have a favour to ask! I'd love your feedback on Season 1 of the Kitchen Day Podcast. It'll only take 3 minutes of your time, but it'll help us shape Season 2. Tell me what you're loving, and what you'd like to hear more of in future episodes!

SURVEY HERE - forms.gle/YJQeJ7fMM4WBSXWN9

In this episode of The Kitchen Day Podcast, we sit down with hospitality legend Steve Logan, co-founder of Wellington’s iconic Logan Brown restaurant. With over 40 years in the hospitality industry, Steve shares his story of building one of New Zealand’s most respected dining rooms and what it really takes to build a legacy that lasts.

We talk about opening Logan Brown with confidence, why hiring for personality matters more than experience, and how genuine care for guests is at the heart of everything they do. Steve also reflects on the challenges of running a top restaurant through changing dining trends, the impact of tourism, and navigating COVID - along with the importance of team culture and community connection.

It’s a relaxed, insightful conversation packed with real-world lessons on hospitality, leadership, and creating memorable dining experiences.

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We're sponsored by the excellent folk at Boring Oat Milk. Not only does it make a mean flat white, but also Boring is a New Zealand company, making oat milk here in Aotearoa, from New Zealand grown oats.

Today's episode is sponsored by the team at Upstock - taking the hassle out of wholesale buy/sell, with all your ordering, invoicing, payments and logistics in one handy app.

We're also supported by the team at Droppah. These guys are the rostering pros - taking all the stress out of staff scheduling, they serve up rosters that just make sense.

We record pre-service at Loretta on Cuba Street, and our show is filmed and produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

Thanks for listening!

Dean White fell in love with the business of hospitality early -and from that point on, it wasn’t just food or service that captured his imagination, but how great venues are built and sustained. Now, at 35, Dean is the owner of Mosaic Venues, the group behind some of Wellington’s most iconic restaurants: Mr Go’s, Ombra, Kisa, Parla, and LTD.

In this episode, Dean takes us through his unexpected entry into the world of business, his path into hospitality, and the almost unavoidable pull toward opening his own places. Along the way, he shares the hard-earned lessons that only come from being on the floor and on the balance sheet — including one he can’t stress enough: always, always get business interruption insurance.

We talk social media and how it’s changed hospitality, why properly costed menus matter more than ever, the role travel plays in shaping great operators, how to hire (and keep) the right people, and what’s next for Dean and Mosaic Venues. It’s an honest, grounded conversation about building restaurants piece by piece - and building a legacy that lasts.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by Boring Oat Milk, a New Zealand owned company making oat milk right here in Aotearoa, from NZ grown oats.

We'd also like to thank the good folks at Upstock - if you buy or sell wholesale, this app has all your invoicing, ordering, logistics and payments in one place.

We'd also like to thank the folks at Droppah - Droppah takes the chaos out of scheduling with smart, skills-based rostering that helps you get the right people on, at the right time.

As always, we film pre-service at Loretta Restaurant, and this podcast was recorded and produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we sit down with one of Wellington’s most loved (and awarded) front-of-house leaders: Davey McDonald of Ortega Fish Shack. Davey has spent more than 16 years shaping one of the country’s most consistently adored dining rooms, but if you ask him what the secret is, he’ll tell you it’s simple: make it fun.

We talk about everything from work/life balance with two busy kids, to why Ortega still runs only five days a week, to how Davey builds a team culture that feels more like family than staff. He opens up about mentoring young servers, managing with kindness, and the tiny moments of connection that turn a good service into a great one.

There’s plenty of laughter, a few honest truths about hospitality, and one deeply moving story about a long-time regular that perfectly captures why this industry matters so much.

Whether you’re a front-of-house professional, a restaurant owner, an Ortega regular, or just someone who loves the magic of great service, this conversation is an incredible reminder of the love that fuels this industry.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly brought to you by Boring Oat Milk. These guys take care of the boring details, so you can focus on the important stuff, like your morning coffee (and this chat).

We're also delighted to be supported by Upstock - a one-stop shop for all your wholesale buy/sell needs - and Droppah - the team serving up perfect rosters that just make sense.

We film at Loretta Restaurant pre-service, with all production taken care of by the talented Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

Thanks for listening.

In this episode, we sit down with Megan Wyper - barista-turned-coffee cup designer, and one of the fiercest champions of New Zealand’s specialty coffee industry.

From pulling her first shots on her mother’s coffee cart to now co-owning the iconic Acme Cup Co, Megan has built a career defined by craftsmanship, and a deep commitment to elevating every part of a guests' coffee experience.

Megan shares how her palate and her industry experience shaped her path from barista comps to production roasting, and eventually to designing some of the most beloved cups in the global coffee community. We explore her vision for taking Acme Cups to the world, the lessons learned along the way, and why she believes New Zealand’s coffee culture is one of the most exciting - and under-recognised - on the planet. In Meg's own words, 'we just don't realise how good we are.'

This is a conversation about passion - about building a career from the ground up; and about advocating fiercely for the baristas, roasters, and coffee innovators who define the future of specialty coffee.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by ⁠Boring Oat Milk - focussing on the boring details, so you can spend time on what really matters, like your morning coffee.

This episode is brought to you with the support of ⁠two excellent organisations -

- Upstock⁠ Save hours in your day with all your wholesale buy/sell ordering and logistics on one easy-to-use app

- Droppah Look after your team with rosters that just make sense.

Filmed pre-service at ⁠Loretta⁠ Restaurant, and recorded and produced by the very clever Jono Tucker at ⁠Empire Films.⁠

Katie Woodhead is a sommelier, hospitality lifer, and the ultimate “waiter’s waiter” whose gift for service has shaped dining rooms across the UK and New Zealand. She’s joy, wisdom, craft, and charm wrapped into one unmistakable hospitality force.

Katie first cut her teeth at Darcy’s, a UK restaurant run by two formidable Australian women who shaped her early understanding of discipline, humour, and genuine service. After moving to New Zealand, she honed her skills with the Bresolin brothers at Dough Holdings, deepening her love for the buzz and connection of hospitality.

Her path took her back to the UK to join the famed Noble Rot, where her wine intuition made her a favourite among London’s sharpest diners - including A-listers like Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Returning home, Katie helped open Hello Beasty, one of Auckland’s most acclaimed restaurants, before becoming sommelier at Cellar 495, where she recently won Sommelier of the Year at the Cuisine Awards.

Beyond service, Katie’s true strength lies in training - teaching teams to understand wine, connect through storytelling, and elevate every guest interaction. With her new wine education company, WineHeads, she’s investing in the next generation of hospitality professionals.

Katie is a laugh, a light, and an immense source of wisdom. We should all be so lucky to experience her service, even once. If you care about wine, connection, and the craft of hospitality, this episode is a must-listen.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Boring Oat Milk. These folks love hospo as much as we do.

We'd also like to thank the following sponsors:

🍴 Upstock - these guys created smart tech for anyone who buys or sells wholesale.

🍴⁠Droppah - look after your team with rosters that just make sense.

Filmed at Loretta Restaurant pre-service. Recorded & produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

In this heartfelt conversation, we sit down with Paul Schrader, co-owner and front-of-house lead at Rita, to explore what truly sits at the centre of beautiful hospitality. From his early days as a teacher to becoming a guiding presence in Wellington’s dining scene, Paul shares how pastoral care, empathy, and genuine connection shape the way he serves and leads.

We discuss the evolving perception of hospitality (yes, it is a real profession) and the lessons Paul has learned from working across generations. He speaks candidly about the mental and emotional demands of the industry, the importance of a supportive team culture, and why hiring for attitude matters most.

Paul also reflects on the art of storytelling in service, the origins of Rita, and what it takes to create dining experiences that feel like coming home. From navigating tough moments to celebrating the joyful ones, this episode is a warm reminder that hospitality is, at its heart, deeply human work.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Boring Oat Milk - focussing on the boring details, so you can spend time on what really matters, like your morning coffee.

This episode is brought to you with the support of Upstock. Save hours in your day with all your wholesale buy/sell ordering and logistics on one easy-to-use app.

The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by Droppah - look after your team with rosters that just make sense.

Filmed pre-service at Loretta Restaurant, and recorded and produced by the very clever Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

If you know Wellington’s dining scene, you’ll know the Bresolin name. But this story isn’t just about legacy - it’s about how Lorenzo Bresolin has taken that heritage of hospitality and shaped it into something uniquely his own.

Growing up in the family that helped define Wellington’s restaurant culture, Enzo learned early what it meant to make people feel welcome - not just through food and service, but through genuine care and connection. Over the years, he’s carried that spirit with him, through each of his many incredible businesses and venues he's opened with brother Leonardo.

Now, with his wife Misa, Enzo runs a beautiful wellness studio on Tory Street - a space that happens to overlook the old Il Casino site, where patriarch Remiro Bresolin once set the standard for hospitality in the city. It’s a poetic full circle, but also a clear expression of Enzo’s own vision: one where caring for others begins with caring for ourselves

In this episode, we talk about the unique skills of a maitre d’, the essence of true hospitality, and how those same qualities - empathy, intuition, generosity - can transform the way we live, parent, and build community.

🔔

The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Boring Oat Milk - a New Zealand company, making oat milk right here in Aotearoa, from NZ-grown oats.

This episode is brought to you by the team at Upstock. Get hours back in your day with all your wholesale orders, invoicing, payments and logistics in one app.

The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Droppah⁠ - look after your team with rosters that just make sense.

Filmed at Loretta Restaurant.

Recorded and produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

What does it really take to create a restaurant people fall in love with? In this episode, Juno Miers, co-owner of the beloved Margot, shares her journey from her early days in service to running one of the city’s most talked-about dining spots. She opens up about the power of genuine connection, the leap from employee to employer, and how the hospitality industry is evolving - from building great teams in a post-COVID world to redefining modern leadership, work/life balance, and what “good service” truly means.

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The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Boring Oat Milk - great for the pros in your favourite cafe, and for your everyday milk stuff at home.

This episode is brought to you by the team at Upstock. Get hours back in your day with all your wholesale orders, invoicing, payments and logistics in one app.

The Kitchen Day Podcast is sponsored by ⁠Droppah⁠ - Droppah takes the chaos out of scheduling with smart, skills-based rostering that helps you get the right people on, at the right time. Less stress, fewer shift swaps, and way smoother service. If you run a busy team, Droppah will save you hours every week and a whole lot of headaches. Find out more at droppah.com 

Filmed at Loretta Restaurant.

Recorded and produced by Jono Tucker at Empire Films.

Find the full transcript of this episode here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k3h370AKkOHWM8SpytLHtbjggHSZvpgq/view?usp=drive_link

Natalia Schamroth never planned to open a restaurant on the North Shore. She and partner Carl Koppenhagen had a list, they'd searched for a year, and the day they went to see the old post office in Northcote Point they'd already talked themselves out of it. But then they saw the steel-framed windows, and the rest is history. Twenty years later, The Engine Room is the restaurant everyone in this city has a story about, and this week Natalia tells us hers.

It's a conversation about what it actually takes to build something that endures. We talk about hiring for warmth and teaching everything else. Borrowing against the house, then borrowing against it again. And surviving the last five years when, as Natalia puts it, the business basically ran as a charity. And through all of it, never once compromising on the things that matters most. If you've ever wondered what real, genuine hospitality looks like from the inside, this is the episode. The Kitchen Day Podcast is proudly supported by Droppah. These guys make rostering for hospo feel like a walk in the park. 

A big thank you also to the team at Coffee Supreme ( and the folks at Craggy Range for bringing these episodes to life.

Welcome to The Kitchen Day Podcast!

This series celebrates the people behind some of New Zealand’s best restaurants and front-of-house teams - those for whom service is more than a job, it’s a calling. Hosted by Dominique Fourie McMillan and Chris Thompson, the podcast goes beyond the surface to show that exceptional service takes skill, dedication, and a deep understanding of people.

Dom and Chris sit down with inspiring service professionals - bartenders, sommeliers, baristas, hosts, and owners - to uncover the personalities, philosophies, and stories behind the tables.

From the challenges and triumphs of the job to the unforgettable moments that make hospitality shine, you'll get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the people who create the experiences we all remember.

The Kitchen Day Podcast launches November 3.

There are roughly 420 Masters of Wine in the world, and Wellington has one of them. This week on The Kitchen Day Podcast, I sit down with Stephen Wong MW, a Master of Wine, wine educator, consultant, and judge. If you’ve ever wondered what it actually takes to become a Master of Wine, this conversation breaks it down, from the famously difficult MW exam to the years of blind tasting, study, and repetition behind it (spoiler: it’s absurdly hard).

Stephen’s path into wine and hospitality started in New Zealand hospo almost by accident and evolved into an international career in wine education, wine judging, and restaurant wine list consultancy. We talk about the realities of working in hospitality, how professional wine tasting actually works, what wine judges look for in global wine competitions, and how New Zealand wine culture and wine service have changed over the past two decades.

We also get into blind wine tasting technique, building a palate, the difference between tasting like a sommelier vs tasting like a “detective”, and what makes a great wine list in restaurants.

Inspired by the Three Fates episode on the Not Serious Wine Chats podcast, we finish with a live tasting of Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 2019, putting Master of Wine-level sensory analysis into practice in real time. Pour yourself a glass of something tasty and join us for this deep dive into wine education, hospitality, and the Master of Wine journey.

The Kitchen Day podcast is proudly supported by Droppah - the go-to rostering software for hospitality. A huge thank you to the team at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range for their continued support of our show.

If you enjoyed this chat, leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to subscribe! 

Ismo Koski - or Mo, as he’s known in hospo circles -  is one of Aotearoa’s most respected front-of-house operators. He came up through the city's most influential fine-dining rooms, including The Grove, Sidart, and the French Café under Simon Wright and Creghan Molloy-Wright, before opening the iconic Apéro on K'Road with his partner, chef Leslie Hottiaux.

Twelve years on, Apéro is the restaurant every restaurateur wishes was theirs. A brick-walled wine bar behind a small door on Karangahape Road, built on 90k and a vision board scrawled in Mo's dad's garage.

Mo and Les have realised a long-held dream together, and they've done it entirely on their own terms. In this conversation, Mo shares how Apéro came to be, what he learned in fine dining that still shapes how he runs a casual room, and the decision that changed everything for his family. We talk about hiring, service, online reviews, Michelin, and what it actually feels like to own a beloved restaurant after more than a decade.

Kitchen Day is proudly supported by Droppah, our season sponsor. Thanks also to Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range for their ongoing support of the show and the wider hospitality industry. This episode was filmed at San Ray on Ponsonby Road, Auckland, and our Auckland recording trip was supported by the team at Hotel Indigo.

I’m delighted to bring you this conversation with none other than Hannah Wells, the charming owner of Wellington’s beloved hidden wine bar Puffin. With a background in design, Hannah came into hospitality with a strong sense of feel and intention, and opened Puffin at exactly the right moment, backing herself to create something small, considered, and entirely her own.

This is a conversation about trusting your taste and building from there. We talk about making the leap into ownership, creating a space that people genuinely want to be in, and putting together a team that reflects that energy. There’s plenty in here on biodynamic wine too, what draws Hannah to it, what she hopes for the future of the industry in New Zealand, and why more people should be open to a slightly wild glass of what she calls purple jet plane wine!

A huge thanks to the rostering gods at Droppah for backing Season 2 of The Kitchen Day Podcast.

We also couldn’t do this without the support of the team at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range. These guys love hospo as much as we do. 

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe wherever you listen and send it to someone who’d get something out of it. It makes a bigger difference than you think ✌️

An art history major who took a shift at Cazador at 18 and never really left.

Two decades on, Rebecca Smidt now owns and runs Cazador, the Cazador deli next door, and San Ray on Ponsonby Road with her partner Dariush. Three very different venues, all with their own identity, all built the hard way.

This is a wide-ranging, honest conversation about what it actually takes to run serious restaurants in Aotearoa right now.

We get into the Noma exposé and why it didn’t shock her, the limits of the Michelin framework, and the year they took BYO off the menu at Cazador and watched the room empty out. There’s the deli opening three weeks before the world shut down, the long road to getting San Ray right, and a Sydney trip that reshaped how she thinks about scale.

We also talk about where hospitality is heading. Why Bex is optimistic about AI and automation. Why a properly costed flat white is closer to nine dollars than five. And what “good service” actually means when you strip it back.

It’s a great conversation with one of the most thoughtful operators in the country.Big thanks to Droppah for backing Season 2 of The Kitchen Day Podcast.

We also couldn’t do this without the support of the team at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range. These are people who genuinely care about hospitality and the people in it.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe wherever you listen and send it to someone who’d get something out of it. It makes a bigger difference than you think ✌️

In this episode of The Kitchen Day Podcast, I chat with Tait Burge and William Bridewell Roberts, two of the most driven, humble, and exciting entrepreneurs in New Zealand right now. These guys started out with a simple obsession: to make the perfect flat white. Fast forward to today, and they’re behind one of the most influential coffee empires the country has ever seen. And trust me, they’re just getting started.

In this conversation, Tait shares how his relentless dream to craft a perfect cup of coffee led to the creation of Swimsuit. What started with one location on Dixon Street in 2019 has now expanded into four venues, and their brand has become something way bigger than just great coffee. From the beginning, Tait and Willy have merged coffee with music, fashion, art, and events in a way that feels completely natural They’ve built something that taps into so much more than just the hospitality world.

But what really stands out to me is their approach to team culture. Tait and Willy have gone above and beyond to create a supportive and growth-focused environment for their staff. They care deeply about looking after their team, and it’s obvious in the way they talk about them. They’re all about developing people and creating a space where everyone feels valued and encouraged to grow. It’s this mindset that I believe is at the core of their success, and it's clear from chatting with them that their humility and genuine care for others are big reasons why Swimsuit has thrived.

This conversation was an absolute pleasure to have, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Special Thanks:

Big shout-out to Angie, Pete, and the team at Droppah for sponsoring this season of The Kitchen Day Podcast. We also couldn’t do what we do without the legends Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range, thank you for your ongoing support!

In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Renee Coulter, co-founder of Coco’s Cantina and one of the most influential voices in Auckland hospitality.

Opened with her sister Damaris in 2009, Coco’s Cantina was always intended to be more than a restaurant. It’s a place built on care, where generosity extends beyond the plate to staff, regulars, and the wider community. A true K’ Road institution, and a living example of what heart-led hospitality can look like.

To this day, there are very few venues in Aotearoa as deeply woven into the fabric of their city as Coco’s.

Renee is a force, thoughtful, generous, and deeply committed to doing things differently. This is a conversation about building something that lasts, leading with care, and creating spaces where people feel they belong.

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A huge thank you to Angie, Pete and the team at Droppah for sponsoring this season of The Kitchen Day Podcast.

A classy tip o’ the hat to our good friends at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range for their ongoing support.

This episode was filmed upstairs in the private dining room at San Ray on Ponsonby Road. 

Season 2 starts here - and we’re kicking things off with one of the true heavyweights of the New Zealand hospitality industry.

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Egan, President of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand and a modern-day restaurateur whose work has helped shape the restaurant scene in Wellington and across Aotearoa. This is a conversation about what actually stands the test of time: building strong team culture in hospitality, running successful restaurants, and why consistency - not perfection - is the real aim of our game.

We get into Mike’s early days (including a wild Bluff oyster story), the thinking behind some of Wellington’s most iconic restaurants, and the lessons that only come from decades spent in service in the restaurant industry. From leadership and staff retention to changing customer behaviour and the future of dining in New Zealand, this one’s full of perspective.

A big thank you to our season partner Droppah , the go-to rostering tool for hospitality teams who want to run better services. And to our friends at Coffee Supreme and Craggy Range. for their continued support of Kitchen Day.

If you work in hospitality, or are building a venue of your own, or if you simply love partaking in this vibrant industry and fancy a little look behind the scenes, this conversation is for you.

Head to our website www.kitchenday.co.nz to listen to the full episode, and subscribe to get each conversation delivered straight to your inbox each week. And if you got something from this ep, share it with your team, give it a like, and subscribe to the channel - all those clicks help us to keep telling these stories. ✌️