Interview by Andy Ratcliff @whisky.rat
If you’ve been around one of the bars on Clarence Street in Sydney over the past few years, it’s likely you’ve been served by Storm. You probably won’t have forgotten the experience. Storm leaves a lasting impression with his infectious enthusiasm for service and a penchant for terrible (depending on your sense of humour) jokes. We talked to him today about his journey from being a school teacher in sunny Cairns to his new role as head of service for MUCHO (the team behind Tio’s, Cantina OK! Centro 86, Bar Planet & Cliff Dive).
Q: Tell us about your early days in Cairns. What was it like growing up, and how on earth did you get into teaching?
A: I had a great time growing up in Cairns—we would spend a lot of our time swimming in rivers or playing sports and games outside with our mates and neighbours. From a very early age, I always wanted to be a teacher. My mother is an Associate Professor in Education, and her husband is a teacher. I grew up in a household that always valued education highly, and I’ve always enjoyed teaching and helping people.
Q: What made you transition into dealing with grown kids in a bar? I’m sure the two would be somewhat interchangeable!
A: I think my foray into the world of hospitality mirrors the experience of a lot of people. I started in the industry as a means to get through my teaching degree, and throughout the course of my studies, I realised I’d much rather be behind the bar than the desk. It turns out the techniques we use in a classroom work almost identically in the bar.
Q: How about your early days in the bar? You were in Brisbane for a while, I believe. Who were your first mentors, and what did you take away from them?
A: It really started for me in Townsville, North Queensland, at a bar called Heritage Exchange. This is where I fell in love with hospitality while making 12 espresso martinis at a time. I saw a Facebook ad from the wonderful Martin Lange looking for bartenders for Cobbler Whiskey Bar in Brisbane. I had this tremendous feeling in my gut that this was the move, so I flew myself down for a trial. Quite simply, I was horrible. However, I must have done something right because I got the job, and then the adventure really began. A LOT of love and hard work was put in by Ella Rhodes, Martin Lange, Kayla Reid, Sam Tripet, Elliot Pascoe, and countless others in the Brisbane scene. These are the people that laid the foundations for my future development.
Q: I remember when you moved down to Sydney to work at The Baxter Inn, and I was lucky enough to share a well with you on a few occasions. What was it like working with a bunch of legends (excluding myself), and what did you learn from being in a bar with purely full-time professionals?
A: It’s almost poetic how this move happened. I was reaching the end of my tenure at Cobbler, and I saw an ad from Tom Price about bartending at The Baxter Inn. I flew down to trial, and once again, I was absolutely horrible. To this day, I have no idea what he saw in me, but thank God he did. I moved to Sydney, and the next six months were the most intense experience of my career. This was where I really learnt how to move and shake in high-volume cocktail bars. I look back at this experience with fondness because it shaped me into the person I am today. Without Tynan Sidhu, Tom Price, and the team at The Baxter Inn (including you, Andy), I wouldn’t be half the bartender I am today.
Q: After this, you moved on to Cantina OK! What was it like moving to such a smaller team (and bar)?
A: By the time I was ready to leave The Baxter Inn, I was looking for a much smaller and more intimate setting. It was a whole new world and it reignited my passion for the industry. MUCHO has been key in fundamentally changing the way I approach service and hospitality. They have been extremely important to my development and have moulded me into what I am today. They have turned this cobblestone block into a marble pillar.
Q: You became the Creative Lead for Cantina OK! after Harrison Kenney. Tell us about how you filled those shoes and what you did differently.
A: Taking over a creative position is quite tricky, and it’s important to remember that we’re all standing on the shoulders of giants. Everything that was learned by Kenney and the previous team never left the venue. The ball was passed to us, and we continued to charge forward. Ever since taking on this role, I’ve worked closely with Jeremy Blackmore (owner) to keep the creative vision of Cantina OK! healthy and thriving. Over the last few years, I have strongly focused on mentoring the team and their creative development.
There aren’t a lot of opportunities to be truly creative in this industry, so I made it a focus of mine to provide our team with the ability to push their creativity through the weekly specials.
Q: You won the Patrón Perfectionist competition last year after being involved with several others before that. What was that whole experience like, and what advice would you give to future entrants?
A: The experience was like nothing else I have ever experienced. It’s something that I will always remember. The community and family we formed is something that will never go away. When entering competitions, it’s important to be genuine. If you’re telling a made-up story, people will notice. Most importantly, enjoy the experience! These are people that you are sharing a once-in-a-lifetime experience with; make sure to make the most of it.
Q: You’ve also been involved with Sweet & Chilli in education. How did those skills from your first career translate over, and would you recommend this to other bartenders as a way to supplement their primary income?
A: I was very fortunate to find Sweet & Chilli when I did. It was during the second wave of lockdowns when everything was a little strange. I was working in the DBA (Diageo Bar Academy) program and found it extremely exciting. I was working across the Greater Sydney Region training and mentoring young bartenders. I would highly recommend joining brand training programs to anyone who is looking to get into mentoring or training. It teaches you a lot of skills that you regularly utilise behind the bar.
Q: You have just been promoted into a new group role—Head of Service. Tell us how your day-to-day is structured, and what does the role involve?
A: The main focus here is to make sure that all MUCHO venues are the best that they can possibly be. I am in an amazing role that allows me to work alongside each of our teams across the group. I will be diving deep into training and development, mentoring, service standards, and working closely with venue management teams to continue to provide the amazing experiences MUCHO has become known for.
Q: A wise man in the industry once told me, ‘get yourself a hobby outside the bartending world unless you want to talk about bitters all day’. What do you do with yourself outside the industry? I know you’re an avid gamer and you like to make your apartment a sanctuary. How important is it to have something else outside your work life?
A: It’s no secret that I love to play video games—it’s only about every second word that comes out of my mouth. As I have gotten older, I have realised how important it is to focus on personal time. Whether this is with a partner or friends or by yourself, having a focus or hobby outside the industry allows you to take a break and recentre yourself. It’s vital to have this and be in a space that makes you feel safe and happy. Then you can truly become unstoppable.
Q: You’re recently engaged to a wonderfully intelligent woman. How has having a strong relationship changed your life?
A: Emma is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Having her by my side has allowed me to achieve some truly amazing things. Her support and love have allowed me to succeed in ways that would be otherwise impossible. Without her, I would be nothing.
Q: Last question! Living or dead, who would you like to have a drink with?
A: Henri Mollet—the gentleman that invented the mullet.
