Interview by Andy Ratcliff, attain him at andrewjohn@me.com
Jackson Littlewood is among the most gifted individuals I’ve ever labored alongside. Again within the glory days of The Baxter Inn, Jackson commanded the bar along with his extremely speedy service, his obsession with excellent drinks and his down-to-earth country-boy smile. We’re speaking to him at present about his expertise within the trade and his latest position as Normal Supervisor of Naked Bones Ice Co.
Q: Hello Jackson, you’ve come a great distance from the pubs of your hometown in Parkes (NSW). Are you able to inform us what introduced you to Sydney and a bit about your first jobs in hospitality?
It’s a little bit of a cliche—I adopted a lady throughout the state, had a very common crack at learning, labored at some bog-standard pubs, and inevitably walked right into a heaving Shady Pines Saloon one evening in 2012. I used to be served by a pack of shirtless maniacs carrying on like one large homogenous grasp of ceremonies. I needed in, so I instantly dropped all the things and pursued a profession in bartending, which I’m certain made my mother and father very proud. I heard of a brand new bar opening, Earl’s Juke Joint on King Avenue in Newtown, I walked in throughout the construct and harassed them to place me on as a barback, the remaining is historical past.
I’ve extraordinarily fond reminiscences of working alongside you and one factor I like about you is your formidable insistence for high quality and your work ethic. The place did this come from and what recommendation would give to lazy sods on the market that aren’t as motivated or passionate as your self?
Persistence trumps expertise. So many talent-touting schmucks with soiled stations throughout this metropolis. Please, for the love of Dale DeGroff, dry your fucking chopping board.
You’ve labored for a number of the greatest managers within the trade like Pasan Wijesena and Stuart Morrow. What are a number of the stuff you’ve picked up from them alongside the way in which?
Pasan and Chewy—and Anthony Moore, Kelly Egan and Stef Forte whereas I’m at it— went up to now past educating me the elemental abilities required to work behind a bar or in a restaurant. Managers like that share a philosophy about what it means to work in Hospitality, a deep understanding of how one can blow a visitor’s thoughts with humility and charm. In addition they taught me different issues I received’t put in writing.
ADVERTISEMENT
 
“Persistence trumps expertise. So many talent-touting schmucks with soiled stations throughout this metropolis. Please, for the love of Dale DeGroff, dry your fucking chopping board.”
You’ve additionally managed Restaurant Hubert. It’s one of many quickest paced and extremely regarded eating places within the nation. What did you study from this and the way have you ever utilized it to your present position?
While you combine the busiest restaurant within the metropolis with 100 employees chomping on the bit to show themselves, the one vital factor is to verify it’s a ripping surroundings to work in. Generally that seems like an not possible process however I’ll attempt to make that occur in all places I’m going from right here on out.
You’re now working Naked Bones Ice Co. What’s the service the corporate offers and the way do you know you had been greatest suited within the position?
We offer premium handcrafted cocktail ice, drop us a line at ice@barebonesice.co! I grew up in my dad’s panel beating store so I’ve at all times been drawn towards a workshop setting with harmful instruments and dealing with my arms.
Are you able to give us any extra element into what your common day seems like? What obstacles and challenges do you face in such a quick paced position?
Briefing is at 8am, the manufacturing group then will get of their Alaskan oil rig fits for a packaging session. Throughout the subsequent hour, I perch on a trestle desk and reply to orders that rolled in in a single day, organise the logistics, invoicing, and ice-cutting quota for that day. Then if I’m not on the street, I’m at present spending the remainder of the day buried nose-deep in no matter mission is a precedence at the moment. The entire thing is new to me so making it occur with precision is an impediment in itself.
You had been employed by proprietor and operator Damien Liot, one other legend of the trade and an in depth buddy. How do you keep such an excellent working relationship together with an expert one? Do it’s essential to put on completely different caps or do you’re employed seamlessly collectively?
Damien and I’ve at all times shared a pile of pursuits, from Japanese design to traditional automobiles, we saved in contact over time largely by exhibiting one another cool shit we like. We additionally frolicked within the trenches at Baxter and Hubert collectively so had been already loads conscious of one another’s idiosyncrasies. We don’t at all times share the identical opinion however we definitely at all times share respect.
Are you able to inform us a bit concerning the growth that the corporate goes by way of proper now? How have you ever managed to develop so rapidly and but keep such a constructive expertise in your prospects?
We lately moved to a brand new world-class facility in Marrickville, please come test it out, it’s completely ridiculous. The imaginative and prescient is evident, the model is robust and we keep a concentrate on rock-solid merchandise and repair. The transition was notably clean as a result of well-drilled manufacturing group and Damien’s relentless planning.
Now that clear ice is much more frequent within the trade, the place do you see it evolving? Is it going to be out there on a extra shopper degree, maybe in native nook retailers (as you see in Japan) and merchandising machines?
We’re at present working with a number of large retailers together with Dan Murphy’s and Woolworths. I’d like to see a Collins spear in my McDonald’s lengthy black, perhaps sometime. For now, preserve a watch out on our Mate Charges program, we might be dropping some very thrilling stuff quickly.
Thanks in your time Jacko! Better of luck within the position!
Naked Bones
Barebonesice.co
Naked Bones Ice Firm is the producer of premium high quality ingesting ice, trusted by Sydney’s most beloved and frequented bars and eating places. Sydney solely.
