You Are Where You Eat
Everyone has their local: a bar, restaurant or café they swear by.
I’ve noticed that our locals can become a part of our personality, a place others know they can find us at. Visit often enough, and your identity and that establishment become inseparable. Whether there is a cause for celebration or a loss to mourn, your local usually has your back. You aren’t just what you eat, but where you eat.
If I am where I eat… I am a bite of a bánh mì from Nam D, a munch of jian bing from Mr Circle, a nibble of fried chicken from Lucky, a slurp of hand-pulled noodles from A Taste of Home, and a gulp of bubble tea from Gong Cha.
Call it obsession or love, frequenting Gong Cha has become one of my defining characteristics. I’m known to drag my friends there, insisting, “there is a bubble tea flavour for everyone,” even though I know it to be an acquired taste. Their extensive menu is unparalleled to other bubble tea stores, and they always cook their pearls just right.
Earlier this year, Gong Cha had a mango pearl shortage for over a month. They taped a handwritten note over the register that notified customers of the toppings they had run out of. Every single day, I would strategically walk past the store, and poke my head through the door to see if the sign had been taken down. When their shipment finally arrived from overseas, I ran in to place my order and almost shed a tear when my drink was made.
Covid-19 has shed light on just how important it is to support our hospitality industry, particularly small local businesses. Over the past month, I’ve seen notices of temporary closure of places like Prefab and Laundry, who could not open due to Omicron. Chef Hoon of Havana Bar even posted an emotional plea on Instagram, urging patrons to support locals because “our staff need to pay rent, they need food and drinks”.
Hospitality is a personal affair.
This issue is hospitality-themed for a few reasons. Firstly, because Wellington prides itself on its hospitality scene—we boast that we allegedly have more eateries per capita than New York City. That being said, our local businesses have suffered deeply due to Covid-19, and Salient wants to do its part in supporting them. But most of all, this issue is dedicated to all of our students who work tirelessly in hospo to make ends meet. We see you, and we thank you.
In our features this week: Zoë explains how local businesses have adapted to the pandemic, Maia finds out what it really means to work at Maccas, Lauren discusses the gender politics of beer, and Kaitlyn pays a visit to Everybody Eats.
We also have a bunch of reviews! Jack runs you through his top ten Wellington eateries, Phoebe weighs up different bars under Traffic Light Red, and in our news section, Beth investigates what club ranks supreme in the eyes of freshers.
If you take one thing away from this editorial, treat the staff that work at your local with dignity. Ask the girl that assembles your burgers what her name is. Befriend your barista. Thank your bartender for always remembering your order. A little kindness goes a long way.
Ngā manaakitanga,