Chain reaction

Wellington restaurant Kisa’s recipe for success

By Natasha Parrant

Check out Kisa’s delicious range of Middle Eastern cuisine at 195 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington.

Follow them to stay in the know below: Website: www.kisarestaurant.co.nz/kitchen Facebook: www.facebook.com/kisawellington Instagram: www.instagram.com/kisa_wgtn

As 2022 comes to an end, many businesses are celebrating another year going by, which is a huge achievement.

It’s also a time for celebration for new businesses that have survived during what has been another chaotic 12 months, with Covid and economic challenges taking their toll on many. But out of chaos order can form and there’s one new business that’s caught a lot of attention from Wellingtonians and tourists. Kisa – a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant first opened in March 2021 as a pop-up restaurant. Owner Dean White (who is also the owner of Wellington’s popular restaurants Mr. Go’s and Ombra), says the team re-purposed Limited (a concept event space that hosts pop-ups and other food and drinks experiences), away from private functions and events, and into their own pop-ups and ticketed dinners. “Kisa was the first pop-up and we planned to only run it for three to four months. It was very popular virtually from day one,” he says. In July 2021, Dean and his team found out the space opposite Ombra became available and they saw some plans for its redevelopment, so they signed the lease, he says. “It felt natural to keep the pop-up going, eventually ending in December that year. We started fit-out work in January and opened permanently in June.” The casual dining restaurant was opened because Dean enjoys the culture and cuisine after travelling overseas and also admired it from afar. 10 | www.canterburytoday.co.nz He also says it was only “right for the restaurant landscape of the city”. Kisa means ‘short’ in Turkish. The word was decided “to play into” the name of the restaurant because initially, Kisa had been a ‘short-term’ pop-up restaurant, he says. He talked to the team about changing it when they opened the restaurant permanently on Cuba Street, but it has since made a name for itself, and customers feel it is “approachable.” It also sounds nice - so it remains, Dean says. Fortunately for the team, Kisa has been doing very well, Dean says. Currently, the restaurant is open from Tuesday (4pm until late) and Wednesday to Sunday (12pm until late). “We’ve been rapt with the reception from our guests and hope to expand to open on Mondays in early 2023.” Kisa will also be open for lunch from 12pm on Tuesday 20th of December and Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023. The feedback Kisa is receiving from customers has been very pleasant, which the team is happy about. “There are also a few surprises, both positive and constructive. We hit the ground running pretty hard when we opened, with some big weeks that haven’t stopped, so there’s always a few tweaks.” Dean is very proud of the team. He’s hired 32 staff members, which is a huge accomplishment because opening a new restaurant in the current labour environment is challenging, he says. “They’ve been excellent and really delivered. I’m proud of the service/hospitality compliments we’ve been getting, and the consistency of the food. “We employ many students, particularly in our front-of-house team.” The team had posted advertisements previously but really relied on their pop-up, experience of owning other restaurants, the fit-out/quality of cooking appliances, and so on, for exposure and attracting people. “It all helps and I had always kept in mind that people want to work in a good establishment. Experience has taught me what that looks like.” Future goals Kisa has is expanding opening hours and to “keep on keeping on,” Dean says. The restaurant has a 10-year lease and the team intends on being there the whole time if not, longer. “So, it’s a marathon - the fit-out and opening is the easy part - now we need to operate. “I remind myself and the team that every day starts fresh. New guests that expect good service, a good product and we need to serve consistently.” Kisa is unique compared to Dean’s other restaurants because it offers an entirely new cuisine, but business-wise – the restaurants are run in a similar way, he says. It’s all about providing “good hospitality, approachable - yet distinct offerings.” In terms of what’s happening in the future, Dean says, “We have a project in the pipeline for early/mid next year but that will be it for a while! “We’ve always wanted to be ready for growth, not to force it. Given current world events, the economy and labour shortages, keeping things tight will be sensible for the next wee while.” CT