Steve started as a glassy at the age of 18 at the Winston Hills Hotel. He then spent some years working at fast-paced venues in Sydney’s once-vibrant Kings Cross entertainment precinct. It was during this time he eventually landed a job bartending at cocktail institution The Lincoln. Here, under some of the best bartenders in town, he learned attention to detail and the storied history of cocktails and the spirits that comprise them.
His next move was to the infamous Piano Room, where he further developed his love for cocktail culture, service and entertainment. The venue served great drinks at a cracking pace, all set against a soundtrack of exceptional live music. It wasn’t long before he began managing the bar, and began developing a beverage program that could be executed across a large team. Steve was listed in the top 100 bartenders in the country by Australian Bartender Magazine during this time. He also leaned a lot about executing high-end and large-scale events whilst working here. This was the most formative period of Steve’s career, and many of the skills learned here would come into play at Opera Bar.
Unfortunately Kings Cross was hit with the first round of lockout laws in late 2012, and about one year later Steve left the precinct and headed over the Clock Hotel (his first Solotel Venue). After 18 months there, Steve was ready for Opera Bar, and the rest is history.
Steve’s role is Venue Manager, and he currently oversees all the beverage ranging & offers, events, entertainment, technology, staff hiring & development (and a few other ‘little’ things).
Last year he was listed as one of the 10 best bar managers in Australia by Australian Bartender magazine, and was nominated in the same category at the Australian Liquor industry awards (ALIAs). Opera Bar was nominated for “best bar team"' at the ALIAs in 2018 and for “best high-volume cocktail bar – Asia Pacific” in the prestigious international Spirited Awards.