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Kitchen Day Podcast

Kitchen Day
Hospitality
Wellington
Service Industry
Cuba Street
Hospitality Industry
Auckland
Coco's Cantina
New Zealand Hospitality Industry
The Engine Room
New Zealand
Apéro Wine Bar
Rita (wellington Restaurant)
Swimsuit
Puffin
Mosaic Venues
Logan Brown
Hawthorn Lounge
Restaurant Reviewing
Master Of Wine
Specialty Coffee

Hosted by Dominique Fourie McMillan, the Kitchen Day Podcast celebrates the people who bring hospitality to life through service. Each episode features chats with some incredible folk who work in service - from hosts and bartenders to sommeliers and owners - sharing their philosophies, challenges, triumphs, and why they believe service is the best job in the world. Whether you work in hospo (or di... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes29Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Personal JournalsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Kitchen Day Podcast

Latest Episodes

What does it take to give up the security of your family home and put everything on the line for a restaurant dream?

For Emma Rogan, co-owner of Hello Beasty, it was a decision twenty years in the making. She got her start in a North Shore nightclu... more

YouTube

Nici Wickes loves restaurants. Not just the food, but the people behind them, the risks they take, and the passion, drive and talent that goes into creating somewhere people want to be. It’s what made her become a respected restaurant critic, and why... more

YouTube

Hawthorn Lounge was only ever meant to last two years. Make some cash, buy a house, move on. Twenty years later, Justin McKenzie is still behind that black door on Tory Street, running one of Wellington’s most respected cocktail bars. In this episode... more

YouTube

Leah Kirkland’s career has taken her from waiting tables in Takapuna to fifteen years working alongside chef Adam Byatt in London, cooking for Michel Roux Jr. in Provence, working a harvest in Burgundy, and eventually finding her way back home to New... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Nici Wickes
Author, former restaurant critic, food television presenter and cookbook writer
Episode: Nici Wickes, author and former restaurant critic, on a life spent championing restaurants
Justin McKenzie
Owner of Hawthorn Lounge and Cuckoo Emporium, with a background in bartending and 42 Below.
Hawthorn Lounge
Episode: Justin McKenzie of Hawthorn Lounge on the discipline behind a great cocktail bar
Leah Kirkland
Group Beverage Director for the Emett Group and 2025 top-ranked sommelier in New Zealand
Emett Group
Episode: Leah Kirkland of the Emett Group: so much more than a sommelier
Jared-Lyron Fa'asalele
GM and Director of Red Rabbit Coffee
Red Rabbit Coffee
Episode: Jared-Lyron Fa'asalele of Red Rabbit Coffee on service and the power of self-worth
Judith Tabron
Hospitality veteran, former head of Soul Bar & Bistro and founder of First Mates, Last Laugh
First Mates, Last Laugh; Soul Bar & Bistro; Ramses
Episode: Judith Tabron of First Mates, Last Laugh: 50 years of lessons worth sharing
Charles Williams
Co-owner and head of strategy at Bowler
Bowler
Episode: Charles Williams of Bowler on turning past failures into future success
Sophie Egan
Capital P professional in front-of-house service; led teams at Gilt and Onslow; part of the Egan hospitality family
Gilt, Onslow, Caravan, Monsoon ( Auckland and London )
Episode: Sophie Egan on the pride of building a career in service
Eric Kong
Owner/Manager, Dragons Restaurant, Wellington
Dragons Restaurant
Episode: Eric Kong of Dragons on living up to a family legacy in service.
Melissa Lind
General Manager of Charley Noble Restaurant (Wellington) and The Food Lab catering
Charley Noble / The Food Lab
Episode: Melissa Lind of Charley Noble on walking the line between control and chaos in a busy service

Host

Dominique Fourie McMillan
Hospitality interviewer focused on people and service in the industry

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 35 ratings
  • Fascinating!

    As a frequent diner, I feel I have had a sneak peek behind the scenes. Thank you for insightful, empathetic questioning. Maybe you should add a trigger warning – it made me hungry!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Highland Kiwi
    New Zealanda year ago
  • Insightful!

    Brilliant first episode, love that front of house are getting the spot light that they deserve - the passion from the hosts and guest was evident from the first word spoken. Looking forward to next ep!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OG BARISTA
    New Zealanda year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host and guests come across as passionate about hospitality.
Listeners value the attention given to front-of-house professionals and their craft.
The behind-the-scenes perspective gives diners a fresh view of hospitality work.
Listeners appreciate the empathetic questioning and insightful conversations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Nici Wickes, author and former restaurant critic, on a life spent championing restaurants
Q: What does a fulfilling life look like for you today?
Wickes says fulfilment comes from kindness, generosity and noticing the small things in daily life. She believes nobody gets everything they want, so appreciating what is present can make an ordinary day feel okay.
Nici Wickes, author and former restaurant critic, on a life spent championing restaurants
Q: Tell me about your early years because I like, I've had the immense pleasure of meeting one of your sisters and your beautiful parents. Yes. I want to know that early period of your life is really formative for the person that you would become, the things you would go on to do. Tell me about growing up.
Wickes remembers food and eating out as central to her childhood. Her mother took the sisters to cafes, and those experiences taught her to value the relationship between diners and the people serving them.
Justin McKenzie of Hawthorn Lounge on the discipline behind a great cocktail bar
Q: What's the next chapter, do you think, for your industry, but also for Wellington hospitality?
McKenzie says small late-night cocktail bars face rising operating costs and pressure to provide substantial food, while people are drinking less by volume. He believes well-run bars can remain appealing by offering distinctive drinks and social experiences people cannot recreate at home.
Justin McKenzie of Hawthorn Lounge on the discipline behind a great cocktail bar
Q: What's one thing that they need to get right in their venues?
McKenzie says consistency is essential: operators should give customers time to experience and understand the bar's offering before making major changes. He also recommends understanding and maintaining equipment, listening to staff, and making time for oneself.
Leah Kirkland of the Emett Group: so much more than a sommelier
Q: What are the first considerations when you are staring at a blank piece of paper to write a wine list?
She starts with the restaurant's identity and its guests, then considers the list's size, structure, regional range and the wines people want to drink.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Kitchen Day Podcast

What is Kitchen Day Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Warm, in-depth conversations about the people and craft behind hospitality, with a strong focus on front-of-house service, restaurant and café operations, wine, coffee, leadership, and workplace culture. Host Dominique Fourie McMillan speaks with hospitality professionals ranging from bartenders and sommeliers to venue owners, founders, and experienced operators. Guests share personal career stories alongside practical lessons about building teams, caring for staff and customers, managing difficult periods, and sustaining a distinctive venue or business.

The emphasis is on service as skilled, meaningful work, not just the mechanics of running a dining room. Interviews connect individual experiences with wider questions facing the hospitali... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Kitchen Day Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Kitchen Day Podcast:

1. Grey Areas with Petra Bagust
2. At Large with Toby Manhire
3. Sunday Morning
4. Between Two Beers Podcast
5. The Dom Harvey Podcast

How many episodes of Kitchen Day Podcast are there?

Kitchen Day Podcast launched a year ago and published 29 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Kitchen Day Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Kitchen Day Podcast?

Recent guests on Kitchen Day Podcast include:

1. Nici Wickes
2. Justin McKenzie
3. Leah Kirkland
4. Jared-Lyron Fa'asalele
5. Judith Tabron
6. Charles Williams
7. Sophie Egan
8. Eric Kong

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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