Dayna Holloway grew up in Central Otago and discovered her love for hospitality at 15, working in a restaurant and events venue near Clyde. Her love for the industry and coffee in particular grew even more during her working visa trip to the USA where Holloway was able to further her barista skills in a funky café.
Coming back to Auckland, she had the opportunity to put her knowledge and skills to the test, working as a Barista Tutor. This role helped Holloway develop her skills to a whole new level while communicating with others who also had a passion for coffee.
Now in Wanaka, Holloway is settled in continuing her barista and management journey as Front of House Manager and Head Barista at Big Fig, serving up delicious Allpress Espresso.
Holloway loves the precision and mindfulness of crafting coffee, and the attention to detail in the coffee-making process, as well as creating beautiful art. She finds reward in creating an environment and experience that people want to come back to, through coffee and the Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine at Big Fig. Her favourite coffee blend is always changing but recently, Shyira from Rwanda one is she’s loving.
“Consistency is key when preparing coffee! Timing, taste and temperature are super important as well as presentation. You want it to satisfy that craving every time.”
Holloway's go-to coffee order is a Long Black, though she will occasionally switch it up for an oat milk Flat White.
In her hospitality experiences, Holloway has seen the trend of sustainability rise.
“More & more people are starting to switch to the use of ‘borrow cups’ or bringing their own keep cups to reduce the use of single-use-cups and the impact these have on the environment.”
Borrow cup systems such as Again Again are popular in Wanaka, and Big Fig is on board.
“I would absolutely encourage any hospitality business to get on board. Takeaways have definitely increased, so the more responsibility we as individuals can take on ourselves to not contributing to single-use cups the better!”
Holloway has also seen a significant increase in the request for plant milks, particularly oat.
“I think there is a certain demand for a diverse range of plant milks that’s increasing as well.”
The only downside she sees to this is the ability to recycle Tetra Pak packaging being fairly restricted, but is hopeful that progress will be made to aid in moving away from contributing to landfills.
The coffee culture in New Zealand is amazing and Holloway is keen to encourage anyone interested in becoming a barista to dive in. When not working the coffee machine, Holloway spends her time outdoors, with her husband, dog, and family and friends.
