Giancarlo Quiroz Jesus

NEW ZEALAND MEET: GIANCARLO QUIROZ JESUS

Meet the man behind the stick at Hawthorn Lounge in Wellington. Having returned from a stint in Vancouver, Giancarlo shares with us how he got started in the industry, Wellington’s best-hidden secret and his experience living abroad.

DRINKS WORLD: Share with us how you got started in the industry and why you chose to bartend as a career?

GIANCARLO QUIROZ JESUS: I commenced in the industry when I was 15. I picked up an after-school job washing dishes for a catering company, where it was just myself and the head chef. He wasn’t the easiest person to work with, especially with days of us being together for 12 plus hours, but over the next six years, we got to know each other well, and he taught me a lot about food and kitchen basics.

Working for this catering company was an amazing experience. During those six years, I went from washing plates to managing events and becoming beverage manager for the organisation. During this time, I branched out and started working in restaurants. This opened up my eyes to the food and beverage service, and I was hooked.

DW: Tell us how you have progressed as a bartender? From your first shift and how you go to be in the position, you are in today?

GQJ: Well, I’m definitely not breaking as many glasses as I used to. I am very fortunate to have worked with a variety of people that I now consider close friends. I consider myself a sponge and have gained many tips from younger and older people in the industry. I think that’s the great thing about this industry, every day you can learn something new, especially when travelling and working.

I spent my early bartending years reading old classic cocktail books. I appreciate the Photographer: Luke Calder

knowledge I have gained and knew I could apply it. However, I always consider that in any environment, the experience you give them is key.

DW: You’ve returned to New Zealand after a stint in Canada. How has the transition been and from a bartending perspective are there any major differences?

GQJ: I’m not going to lie, it has been a little tough. Wellington will always be home, but there’s something special about Canada. I lived in Vancouver for just under two years, but it feels like I was there for years. The community there is amazing.

When I first arrived in Vancouver, I didn’t have any family or close friends. It was tough, but slowly I made friends with people that I now consider very close friends. One guy, in particular, Gez McAlpine, was a life-saver. He worked at The Keefer Bar, and he put me in contact with a mate who would later hire me. The rest is history.

I remember one of my first conversations with Gez, when he said that working in BC (a venue in Vancouver) was like working in the Bermuda triangle. One week you might have something as simple as Campari, and then the next week you have bar managers around the city travelling as far as Seattle to buy cases. At first, I thought he might be exaggerating, but he wasn’t. Coming from New Zealand, I thought we had a tough time getting cool and interesting products, but in Vancouver, it was almost impossible. I’m not complaining though, because it meant I could take weekends away to explore a new city and buy some booze to bring home.

Finally, the palates are a bit different, but I was accustomed to customers at Hawthorn, which are bartenders, travellers or people working in the movie industry that happened to know the original recipe of the Zombie.

DW: Have you found the palate profiles differ compared to your consumers in Canada to New Zealand?

GQJ: They varied a bit. I hadn’t taken the taste of citrus much into consideration before, because I had only worked in New Zealand. Citrus was pretty different in Canada. It was almost like starting to bartend all over again, which was exciting because I had to make sure my palate wasn’t too sour or too sweet for the people that would come in.

I was working at a bar called The Diamond in Vancouver. It’s an amazing high-volume cocktail bar in the heart of Gastown that was one of the first cocktail bars in the area. With the help of other bars, they paved the way of independent cocktail bars around the city. I didn’t know that Vancouver was a hub for movie production, which was funny because at Hawthorn we have a lot of guests that work in the movie industry. One night at The Diamond, I had all of our bar seats occupied by regulars from Hawthorn because they were there working on a production in town. It was a great feeling to have. My work mates were surprised at how much they couldn’t understand from our kiwi accents.

Having worked in Auckland and Wellington, cocktails were sometimes a tough sell for guests so it definitely came down to experience and banter. In Canada, I found that people were quite willing to try innovative cocktails.

DW: For those who are yet to be acquainted with Hawthorn Lounge in Wellington, what can they expect? And also, what is the overall cocktail scene in Wellington like?

GQJ: Hawthorn Lounge is truly one of Wellington’s best hidden secret. Tucked away from the main strip of bars, it was one of the first speakeasies in New Zealand. Look for the lantern wall sconce at 82 Tory Street, walk up the stairs and enter a 1920s-styled bar. The challenge of finding this bar is part of the experience, and the team are awesome and welcoming to locals and out-of-towners. Cocktails play a big part of the bar, but the overall experience is also key, whether it is enjoying a glass of pinot noir or a local beer matched with a whisky and a friendly chat with the bartender.

I find the hospitality scene in Wellington very inviting and consistent. The community is tight. Though we are all working to serve the same customers, we still help each other out. It’s guaranteed that you can go into any cafe bar or restaurant, ask the person serving you what you should do, where should you eat, and where you should drink, and they will willingly give you a list of places that won’t disappoint.

DW: And finally, what do you enjoy most about the F&B industry?

GQJ: I enjoy the involvement and contact I get with work-mates and customers. I like that this industry allows for me to learn on a regular basis, and also allows me to teach people. Before moving to Canada, I was never into the idea of living in a different country. After that experience, I highly recommend it, and working in this industry allows for that.