With 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry, from Burger King to managing cafes and restaurants in Hamilton, Waikato’s James Gibson now owns and operates Harlan Pepper Food Co in the Kingsland area of Auckland.
Hospitality is known to be a transient industry, with most people working only for a few years before moving on to something else. However, Gibson enjoys social networking and community building and encourages everyone to work in the sector for at least a year.
“You do get to experience true human nature, and that helps people be more understanding of what people are actually like, commiserate with one another,” said Gibson.
“I love the community sense that the cafe life offers. I'm pretty irreverent, so I love to laugh and intimately get to know each person and all the quirks because cafes provide a very laid-back atmosphere. It's community at its finest.”
Although Gibson is not reinventing the wheel with Harlan Pepper Food Co., which offers classic benedicts and lunch specials, they have a diverse staff that seasonally showcases the fusion of various cuisines like Vietnamese and Filipino.
The cafe also makes a solid coffee, which Gibson defines as one with good extraction, nice colour and deep flavour. It is the only place in Auckland where one can grab Essenza Coffee.
“I read an article once saying people that drink black coffees are psychotic, then lock me up because I'm drinking a long black straight up, no mess, no fuss true to its flavour. Same with my English breakfast tea, no milk, haha,” said Gibson about his go-to beverages.
Besides coffee, Gibson’s interests are sports and music, and he has just started learning how to DJ.
