Stories from the hospo world | Kitchen Day Podcast
The Kitchen Day Podcast celebrates the people who bring hospitality to life on the floor. Each episode is a conversation with one of Aotearoa's sharpest service professionals: waiters, bartenders, sommeliers, baristas, and venue owners. The people who make it all look easy.
We get into the good stuff: their philosophies, the pressure, the small wins, the occasional chaos, and the reasons they keep showing up. The tone is open and honest. Far less polished soundbite, far more real conversation.
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All Episodes
Season 2 (10 episodes)
- Episode 10: Eric Kong of Dragons on living up to a family legacy in service. — with Eric Kong
Eric Kong is 24 years old and runs Dragons, Wellington's most beloved yum cha institution on Tory Street. Watch this episode now - Episode 9: Melissa Lind of Charley Noble on walking the line between control and chaos in a busy service — with Melissa Lind
Melissa Lind didn’t plan to become the General Manager of one of Wellington’s busiest restaurants. She walked into [Charley… - Episode 8: Natalia Schamroth of The Engine Room on 20 years of restaurant excellence — with Natalia Schamroth
20 years of The Engine Room. Natalia Schamroth joins the Kitchen Day Podcast to talk genuine hospitality, hiring for warmth, and surviving tough times - Episode 7: Stephen Wong MW on passing the hardest wine exam in the world — with Stephen Wong
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 Won - Episode 6: Ismo Koski of Apéro - the restaurant every restaurateur adores — with Ismo Koski
Ismo Koski - or Mo, as he’s known in hospo circles - is one of Aotearoa’s most respected front-of-house operators. - Episode 5: Hannah Wells of Puffin on building Wellington’s most beloved hidden wine bar — with Hannah Wells
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. - Episode 4: Rebecca Smidt of Cazador & San Ray on the true cost of greatness in hospitality — with Rebecca Smidt
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… - Episode 3: Tait Burge and William Bridewell Roberts of Swimsuit Coffee on building a company around a perfect cup of coffee — with Tait Burge and William Bridewell Roberts
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 - Episode 2: Renee Coulter of Coco’s Cantina on what caring for others actually looks like — with Renee Coulter
In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Renee Coulter, co-founder of Coco’s Cantina - Episode 1: Mike Egan from Monsoon Poon on a lifetime spent in hospitality — with Mike Egan
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
Season 1 (10 episodes)
- Episode 10: "No regrets": The making of Cuba Street hospo icon, Roger Young — with Roger Young
Roger Young is a true Cuba Street original - a hospitality rockstar whose venues helped shape the soul of Wellington. In this episode, Roger shares th - Episode 9: Hospitality, parenthood and partnership with Capitol's Kate McMillan Hutchison — with Kate McMillan Hutchison
In this episode, we sit down with Kate McMillan Hutchison of the iconic Wellington establishment Capitol, to talk about her journey into hospitality - Episode 8: Hospo veteran Steve Logan on service, success and 30 years of Logan Brown — with Steve Logan
In this episode of The Kitchen Day Podcast, we sit down with hospitality legend Steve Logan, co-founder of Wellington’s iconic Logan Brown restauran - Episode 7: Building an empire, piece by piece: Dean White of Mosaic Venues on the business behind great venues — with Dean White
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, - Episode 6: Leave people better than you found them: lessons from Ortega Fish Shack's Davey McDonald — with Davey McDonald
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… - Episode 5: More than just a cup of coffee: Megan Wyper on New Zealand's specialty coffee scene — with Megan Wyper
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 coffe - Episode 4: Hospitality for life: Katie Woodhead on finding joy, one table at a time — with Katie Woodhead
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 - Episode 3: Paul Schrader on pastoral care and the power of connection in service — with Paul Schrader
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 o - Episode 2: Hospitality of the heart: Enzo Bresolin on the art of service — with Enzo Bresolin
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 tak - Episode 1: From passion to profession: Juno Miers' journey through hospitality — with Juno Miers
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 jo
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