Q + A — EMMA ROGAN, CO-OWNER

Stu and Emma, quick photo break mid-service.

How old were you when you started in hospo?

Seventeen.

Where and what doing (role)? 

I was a ‘shooter girl’ in an ill-fated nightclub called the Viper Room. The less famous version in Takapuna, above an office supply store. I roamed the club and sold shots out of test tubes. Grasshopper, anyone?

What do you love about hospitality?  

I’ve had some of the best times in my life in hospo. As a teen I found a family of dynamic, brilliant misfits working in this industry and knew that I could never go back to the (more sedate, much more sober) retail work I’d done before. And Chefs — ugh, love them. The food ! The cocktails ! I love the interactions we have — people are endlessly fascinating.  

What do you DISLIKE about it? 

The online food review culture can be intense ! Since we opened Beasty I’ve had to learn how to process it all emotionally. That said, through Covid-19 and 2020 I’ve observed a shift away from much of the mean-spirited stuff. People have been supportive and many of their messages, reviews and comments are what has helped us keep going.

One of your fav moments:  

Sitting down after a hectic service with a cold beer (or wine, or anything really). Relief, satisfaction, physical exhaustion, decompressing all that has just happened — the good and bad...There is nothing quite like it. 

One of your worst moments:  

Recently dropping a full tray of beer on the floor in front of a packed dining room, then down on my hands and knees to clean it all up...my face burning with shame !

What have you enjoyed about being in Lockdown during 2020?  

Having our oldest kid back from Uni and all of us at home together, ‘Sergeant Stu’ making us do F45 workouts together in the front yard. I hated it at the time but it gave us structure to our days and then I felt less guilty about all the food + wine consumption.

What’s been the biggest challenge? 

Trying to ensure the business survives Covid-19 and not being able to forecast what we’re in for beyond day-to-day and week-to-week. 

What are you drinking right now? 

Instant coffee ! I love it.

If you could eat anything for dinner tonight, from any restaurant in the world what would it be? 

An Omelette Soufflé Rothschild with hot apricot sauce from Le Gavroche. 

Years ago we had just got married, had two young kids and were pretty broke, but we were in London so we got dressed up in our finest (Stu had to borrow a jacket from the restaurant front desk) booked a table and scrabbled together all the cash we had, a little pile of crumpled bills. There were no prices on the menu (we only hoped we had enough $$) and a wine list the size of a telephone book...it is still one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had, so lush and retro, complete with eccentric French waitstaff — and that Omelette Soufflé ! Incredible.