Seb Coxon-Aristizabal got his start in hospitality as a dishie in 2015. The venue was a mixture between a café, bar and restaurant meaning there were lots of skills for him to pick up. As soon as the opportunity came to move to the front of house, he took it and started waiting tables before realising he was best behind the bar. At first, Seb became a barista, but at the annual carnival of the town he resided in - one of the busiest nights of the year - the baristas were asked to help out with the night shift and Seb loved it.
“Working the bar opened up a much more social aspect and I enjoyed getting to know the regulars as well as learning about different spirits and how they taste and work with other flavours.”
Seb is now Head Bartender at Woof!, a bar in Ōtepoti Dunedin. The friendly bar has a cosy atmosphere and is a safe space with zero tolerance for phobia or disrespect. The bar hosts events such as queer club nights and a quiz, but is best known for its cocktails. Woof! feature a ‘Cocktail of the Month’, showcasing unique-to-Woof! drinks like The Breakfast Martini, a Woof!-made marmalade with gin and triple sec; the Black Forest, spiced rum, crème de cacao, amaretto, maraschino cherry liqueur, cocoa bitters and aquafaba foam head; the Aurora, tequila, triple sec, elderflower and apple liqueur shimmer against a blush of Tohu pinot noir & kawakawa perfume.
Seb developed the Aurora as a Matariki special, inspired by his passion for photography and time spent chasing the Aurora Australis. He loves the creativity bartending allows and his favourite customer interactions involve being given a flavour for him to build a cocktail from.
“The satisfaction when they come back and ask for the same drink again - that is something that will never get old for me.”
For the bartender, the best drinks have layers - enough layers to make it interesting while not so many that it is not obvious what the drink is trying to achieve. A drink should tell a story, take its consumer on a journey and give every sip a surprise.
The bar team at Woof! has loved National Distillery’s Hemp Gin, an innovative idea and a stunning flavour. The bar initially began serving the hemp gin with East Imperial Burma tonic and it found devoted fans. The gin is now a fixture on the menu in the form of the Hemp Gin Martini, as the clarity of a martini is an ideal recipe for the earthy flavour of the gin to shine through.
Seb’s favourite cocktail is a Boulevardier, whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari, but it is an almost similar Negroni that the bartender believes will never go out of style. He has recently become interested in Negroni variations and has had a lot of fun experimenting with making the drink more attention-grabbing.
Having been a barista, Seb’s favourite drink to make is an Espresso Martini - the perfect blend of his two best skills. Seb is able to fine tune the balance of the coffee’s bitterness to the overall sweetness of the classic cocktail.
Woof! cover all bases, beer, wine and all! With Panhead, Emersons and Garage Project on tap, the bar also stocks a revolving list of specialty cans, and a wine list featuring New Zealand and international reds, whites, and sparkling varieties.
A full and dedicated alcohol-free menu is also on offer, and Seb finds many patrons opt this way.
“We want people who are not drinking to feel just as welcome as those who do.”
With some very interesting new alcohol-free spirits being developed, bartenders now have the ability to create alcohol-free cocktails that taste just as good as the classics. That being said, one of Woof!’s best tasting no-alcohol cocktails is their version of the Pussyfoot - a simple combination of mint, a few different juices, grenadine, and aquafaba - which doesn’t contain anything resembling a spirit.
Woof! recently won big at the Otago Hospitality Awards, taking home five awards including Outstanding Bar and the Supreme Establishment Award.
Proving his skills, Seb himself took home Outstanding Bartender and his team were awarded Outstanding Front of House Team. The Woof! team was blown away to have their hard work and care recognised during challenging times in hospitality.
Seb’s words of wisdom to fellow bartenders in these difficult times is to “keep your heads up”, and stay passionate about the work. Seb is still constantly expanding his knowledge and picking up new skills.
“Once we’re through this, people will appreciate you still being there creating drinks after all this time.”
