CityMag sees all elements of the hospo hustle and while chefs are often held up on a pedestal, the service overall can make or break the customer experience. Here are some of our front-of-house heroes.
October 24, 2024
Happening
Meet the front-of-house
Hernán Comtois-Garcia
From Penny University
This picture: Jayde Vandborg.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
A latte, regular milk. That usually tells you if a place you’re going to is good or not. Keep it simple and that’s a good test.
Favourite item on the menu?
The French toast. Tonnes of work for us, but so worth it. If I want something decadent, that’s what I’ll go for. It looks so impressive. When I bring it to the table and see people’s faces, their reaction, it makes every second worth it.
What’s the best part of the job?
The community. It feels like you’re working on the main street of a little village. Everyone knows everyone, you can kind of gossip, it’s fun.
What do you wear to work?
Something I can get dirty in. Something I can absolutely destroy, that’s it.
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
ABBA.
Hannah Clancy
From Roxie’s
This picture: Helen Karakulak.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
That’s the worst thing to ask a barista, because I find it so difficult to stick to the same coffee order.
Well what did you make yourself this morning?
An oat milk cappuccino with just a half pump of vanilla. That’s probably my most common especially in the mornings as a first coffee, it doesn’t taste too strong but is still a double shot.
Favourite item on the menu?
The broccoli toastie…and I don’t like broccoli!
Best part of the job?
I love that there are regulars that rely on me to be their social interaction for the day, it’s nice to feel like I’m important.
What do you wear to work?
These jeans, these are a staple, I wear them too much. When I have to wash them, I start panicking. My Thrills jeans mid-rise, baggy, comfy, with a tee and a hat and when it’s cold, long-sleeve underneath.
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
I usually put on my chill tunes playlist, and I feel like a song that I always like to come on earlier on is an Olivia Dean song, literally anything by Olivia Dean. Maybe ‘Dive’ if I had to pick one.
Baylie Day
From Rascals
This picture: Jayde Vandborg.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
A double shot espresso, just to kind of wake me up in the morning, get the tastebuds going.
Favourite item on the menu?
Reuben, by far. Reuben is just, I think, an American staple. Love it. Can’t go wrong with a Reuben.
Best part of the job?
Finding the never-ending tasks to do on a weekly basis. So it could be from painting something one week and then the next week could be making a new food item, mopping the floors. Who knows, kind of everything to be honest with you.
What do you wear to work?
Fortunately, I’m in the kitchen most of the time, so I can get away with kind of wearing whatever I want. It’s a very casual environment here. So I encourage all the staff to be comfortable. You know, of course, look professional, but be comfortable. There’s no dress code here. Everyone’s welcome. Everyone can dress how they like.
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
I’m more of a heavy metal emo guy, so I’d be playing Amity Affliction, Bullet For My Valentine, Bring Me the Horizon and stuff like that. But of course, it’s a little bit too heavy for the daytime coffee. Probably a good thing I’m not on aux in the morning.
Dean Plesa
This picture: Helen Karakulak.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
Oat latte. I’m doing a single shot these days to cut down on the caffeine because as a barista you drink it a lot because it’s free.
Favourite drink on the menu?
I’m really loving our Field Blend Shiraz Gin, mixed with ginger ale and a couple of dashes of Tabasco.
What about food?
The savoury oats. Divine. Our chef is a mastermind.
Best part of the job?
The freedom they give me. It’s diversity, can do everything, café, bar. I’m able to go to so many different places because of this job.
What do you wear to work?
I’m pretty much always in a turtleneck. My current fit, my $7 op-shop jeans, so long as it’s practical. Definitely like black and grey.
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
I am such a sucker for R&B. I am in love with Victoria Monét at the moment.
Chanel Czechura
From OVO
This picture: Jayde Vandborg.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
Long black. If I need something a little more filling, I’ll opt for an oat latte.
Favourite item on the menu?
We switch it up, but our sourdough bagels. My favourite is the honey chilli chicken mix, it’s divine.
Best part of the job?
The customers. I love meeting new people, and working in the city there’s such a diverse range of people who come in.
What do you wear to work?
Baggy jeans with something tight-fitting up top. Earrings, always!
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
Billie Eilish. I love her new album.
Tierra Jade and Charm Sandoval
From Seed & Stone
This picture: Jayde Vandborg.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
Soy latte.
Favourite item on the menu?
The overnight oats.
Best part of the job?
The people. They’re so fun here.
What do you wear to work?
Crocs!
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
Anything RnB.
Konnar Doyle
From Carton Deli
This picture: Helen Karakulak.
What’s your go-to coffee order?
I usually just get double shot flat white in the morning.
Favourite item on the menu?
An iteration of the mortadella so like, I’ll change it up and put it on the sourdough bun. Or I used to be a fiend for the fried chicken, because I used to be a customer here for a year before I started working here.
Best part of the job?
It’s really good team here. Everybody gets on. We all kind of have a drink every so often, especially in summer, you usually clock off and go for a beer or two, or something like that. Good social environment stuff. And, you know, free unlimited coffee – can’t complain.
What do you wear to work?
Winter time, I’ll chuck on my pair of jeans, usually, and hoodie and a vest, it can be kind of cold in here at times. Summer; shorts, t shirt, cap quite a lot of times, it’s usually pretty hot.
You’re on the aux for your shift. What’s playing?
Depends on the day of the week. Yesterday the first song I played was ‘Killing me Softly with His Song’. It’s completely random, we’ll put on Anderson Paak one day but then the next day we could be listening to Luke Combs for a bit of country. Literally everything will get played around here.
This article first appeared in issue 44 of CityMag print.
Pirlta’s got his copy. Get yours while they last! Illustration by Angus Smith.
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