Originally from England, and with a background in pharmacy, Lisa Kempen has been with Caretaker for around three years. Now, as bar manager, she recalled how hospitality jobs had initially been to save for travelling and to help out when overseas. She said her plan was never to stay in New Zealand, but the place and the job got her hooked, and now she is hoping to stay forever.
Caretaker is a small venue tucked away in Auckland’s Britomart that punches above its weight in terms of service and quality. It is a classic cocktail focussed bar with personalised table service. Down an unassuming staircase, and into a dimly lit, speakeasy-type lounge and bar, Caretaker would perhaps be glanced over by the untrained eye. Instead of a classic cocktail menu, the bartenders on the floor ask patrons about their favourite spirits, flavours, and styles of drinks. From there, they will make something that they think the customer will like, tailoring it if the procured drink isn’t to the customer’s particular taste.
“Our unique ordering style impacts the business positively as we are always busy and have lots of regular customers. We spend a lot of time getting to know people, which is my favourite part. There is nothing better than seeing a row of familiar faces along the bar,” she said.
But what truly sets Caretaker apart is perhaps not just the exceptional cocktails and alluring atmosphere.
“I would say we stay relevant because people will always like nice and friendly service, and that’s something we focus on. You always have to go the extra mile to make sure that every drink is the best it can be, as well.”
With such a different way of ordering and creating drinks, we were interested in finding out about how the staff were trained and prepared. Kempen said that the first six months of training was usually spent on the floor, learning the cocktails, the flavours and spirits, and the general aspects of Caretaker’s special service.
“Then we usually move people onto the bar once they become confident with specs and they have found their shake. We shake with one big block of ice as it makes a huge difference to temperature and dilution of the drink.” Kempen went on to describe that there is a learning curve involved this method, as shaking with a single block of ice takes getting used to and involves a lot of trial and error.
The cocktail industry is everchanging, and flavours and trends come through Caretaker’s doors regularly.
“It’s exciting to see that a lot of people are using sherry and fortified wines in cocktails at the moment. They are underrated, if you ask me, and work great in low-alcoholic cocktails—another popular trend at the moment. Also, people love spice, too. We use an insane amount of ginger and hot sauce.”
Monitoring these trends may sound tricky, but Kempen described that reading up on other people’s work, and going out and trying new things helps her to stay updated. The vibrant Auckland bar scene helps contribute to this learning experience.
“The Auckland bar scene is super exciting. We have so many new and amazing bars opening all over the city, and everyone is doing so many different things. As for New Zealand in general, I think things are only going to keep growing after seeing so many great places popping up,” she said.
