A good natter, a wide tequila selection and the joy of admin (for real) keep Oliver happy in his role as restaurant manager at Mexico Britomart.
Are you from Auckland?
Born and bred Aucklander, both on the Shore and in the city. This year may finally be a good year to be a Blues fan.
How do you get to Britomart?
By bus. Used to walk for an hour in the rain to get to work to avoid the busses, but the Tāmaki Link has changed my life.
What do you do here?
Restaurant manager for Mexico Britomart. Been at it for a few years now and I still enjoy it. There's all the admin which I really like, and then there's the management side which often means just hanging out with guests and staff. Not a bad gig, that.
How did you get into it?
Accidentally. Started off here as a glassie polishing glassware in the bar at the end of 2013 while in uni, and then just kept wanting more responsibility.
What’s the best thing about working at Britomart?
The people. We've got a fantastic mix of friendly regulars and chatty tourists (or at least, used to), and I love a bit of mindless chat.
With the move to Level 1, are you back to booking events? How’s the calendar looking?
Yes there's been a few trickle through. We managed to host a few small Margarita Masterclasses during Level 2, and we’ve got a few bigger ones lining up now. Still lots of space available though, so come find me if you're looking for group activities!
What sort of events are most popular in the Mexico space [upstairs from the restaurant]?
The Margarita Masterclasses are easily the most popular for us. Something interactive and fun centred around margaritas is always going to go down a treat for anything from hens’ parties to work dos. But we're well versed at sit-down meals and canapé events too. The size of our room is very handy for the groups our location attracts.
Do you have a favourite margarita flavour?
The Original, of course, although you can make some life-changing margaritas with some of the back-bar tequilas. Fortaleza Blanco and Don Julio Reposado probably top the lot, then just a nice mezcal or the Jose Platino on the side to wash it down.
What menu item could you eat every day?
I'd be in trouble if I didn't say fried chicken! But we did just change our menu over on March 16th, and that chicken taco is top-notch.
If you could do any job in the world, what would it be?
Always thought being a presenter on Top Gear would be the best. They were just paid millions of pounds to be kids for a living. But I know nothing about cars and don't want to hang out with Matt LeBlanc or Andrew Flintoff as much as I do with James May.
