Meet the Makers: Mikey and Amanda of Ampersand
Getting to know Mikey and Amanda
Tell us a bit about your background and how Ampersand came to be?
Amanda:
Mikey and I are originally from the ‘formal dining scene’ - we worked together many years ago now at The Grove Restaurant in St Patrick’s Square, Auckland, where we met. Mikey was Sous Chef to Ben Bayly there and I was working in the bar with a fantastic wine list composed by Sommelier and Restaurateur Michael Dearth. The Grove really was, and still is, a fantastic showing of fine NZ cuisine and distinctive, intuitive service.
When Mikey left The Grove he went and headed the kitchen at Bracu in Bombay, Auckland, and I went to waiter, then manage the Front of House at Sidart in Ponsonby, Auckland. For both of us, we really honed in to perfecting what it was we loved about restaurants and the experience of dining out. We also built our reputations in our respective roles and relationships with suppliers, peers and customers.
While we were doing our thing at Bracu and Sidart, on the side Mikey and I ran a little ‘pop up restaurant’ called ‘Allechante’ (French for ‘entice’). For about a year, every month, we would ‘take over’ a cafe or restaurant that was closed on a Monday evening, and we’d have our own restaurant for a night! It was like our own little business on the side!!
From the moment we met, Mikey and I were supposed to have our own place together - I mean one from the kitchen and one from the front of house - a match made in heaven right?! And the real intention behind ‘Allechante’ our pop up was to find someone to back us, believe in us and support us into our own establishment…
We eventually met a group of experienced cafe owners - which included Andrew Smart from Espresso Workshop. After many meetings, and after seeing OBV and the site where Ampersand is now…we thought, ‘ this is our chance, let’s give it a go!’
We all had our strengths in the group; Mikey is the Exec Chef, I set up and began the floor team and beverage plan, and Andrew set up the Coffee Alley with Espresso Workshop.
And from there Ampersand was born!
Funnily enough, it was at this same time we had our son Alex. He is 6 now; same as Ampersand.
Both customers and staff alike have watched Alex grow up, and he (and his little brother Thommy who is nearly 2) just wander around like it’s their second home. It’s really lovely and it truly proves that Ampersand is a place to bring your family and enjoy being together.
The name ‘Ampersand’ (which all credit goes to Mikey on the name!) is the logo & which is latin for ‘and’. It’s up on our wall under our big neon & sign! Ampersand Eatery is that in a nutshell - a place to be together, to enjoy, to collaborate and to look forward to more to come.
The space itself is so beautifully designed. How did you land on the aesthetic for Ampersand and what were your non-negotiables when briefing your designer?
Amanda:
Yes we are stoked with our space, it’s so beautiful. The aesthetic needed to encompass the industrial exterior and then bring in natural coloured furnishings to match with the view of the bay and the environment outside. Bright, open and airy to invite people in.
You’ve recently acquired a new Head Chef, Logan Clark. Give us the lowdown on Logan’s background and why he’s the perfect fit for Ampersand?
Amanda:
Logan actually was Mikey’s replacement when he left Bracu. He was there for a few years and then started his own business as a Private Chef in Auckland. Before Bracu, Logan was Des Harris’ Sous Chef at Clooney.
Around the time we were looking for a new Head Chef, Logan had been coming into Ampersand to have his coffee. After a conversation between Mikey and himself things started falling into place. When you need someone for a serious role like a Head Chef, the greatest benefit is that you know that person - and that person knows your place. To have the confidence in being able to already have your culture, food style and customer understood is great. We are very thankful that Logan is here with us at Ampersand.
Your menu is based on seasonal ingredients. How regularly do you change it up, and what does this process look like?
Mikey:
Typically it's around 4 times per year for the lunch and dinner menu. We don’t change the breakfast menu as often because there are so many ‘fan favourites’. . The catalyst is the seasons and the new and exciting produce that becomes available. For instance, at the moment we have asparagus and heirloom tomatoes on the menu.
You recently won a big award… congratulations! Tell us a little bit about the Lewisham Awards and why this one is so special?
Amanda:
For Mikey and I, being in the Auckland hospo scene for a good 10+ years, we have known and participated in the Lewisham Awards before. To have our own place, Ampersand Eatery, be nominated was pretty special. Mostly special because it’s a nomination and vote from your hospo peers, and that to us is the biggest thumbs up; that our peers like what we do!
We are so very thankful to our team. It is because of them that we are still here today, and it is because of them that we are seen as the ‘Best Local Establishment’ in East Auckland (Lewisham Awards 2022).
Your ethos is all about brilliant dishes, slick service and a relaxed atmosphere. Why do you think Ampersand does such a good job at this?
Amanda:
I would say, it’s ingrained in us to be this way. From where we’ve come from through our experiences, our training and the way we enjoy dining out, this is the way it has to be for Ampersand. And we have to carry it on, carry it through our Team, through training, through working alongside people, and through having the right people at Ampersand who have the same kind of outlook. This needs to be a continuous goal and ‘purpose’.
Have you got any upcoming specials or new menu items we should know about?
Mikey:
Our sticky toffee pudding has been nominated as one of Auckland’s Iconic Eats dishes and is popular year round.
Your wine list is ever changing, with a focus on varieties to match with meals and celebrate flavours. How often do you change your wine list and how do you make selections?
Amanda:
Lance, our Restaurant Manager has been managing our beverage programme at Ampersand for a few years now and he’s got great taste! I’d say that Lance balances wonderfully between what he knows are great drinks, what he thinks customers will like, and what is great with our food - and that is how a beverage list needs to be.
Seasonally wine lists need to change, not just to match food but to match customers' palettes, trends and needs; an example is our wine tap. It will shift between Sauv Blanc in the height of Summer, to a Pinot Gris in Autumn, a Pinot Noir in Winter and a Rose in Spring - keeping it fun, being that little bit more sustainable with using keg rather than bottle and exploring different styles.
How did you connect with Andrew from Espresso Workshop? What makes this partnership so special?
Mikey:
Andrew is just as committed to roasting coffee as we are about food and service so I think it has a great synergy.
Ampersand hosts a bunch of functions and events. Tell us about some of your favourite happenings at Ampersand?
Amanda:
When we first opened, Ampersand was a popular hit, especially the terrace. It got busy quickly and people would ask about hiring it out because of that view! It’s really fun hosting special events, birthdays and parties and we’ve had some fun functions. Bahmitsvah’s, weddings, engagement parties, big birthdays - and with themes and fun bits too like photo booths, dress up themes and bands for entertainment!
What's closest to Mikey’s and my hearts though is when we host our ‘Ampersand Dinner’ events. They are perhaps a little more ‘tame’ than something of the aforementioned, but for us they are just wonderful. We almost relive our ‘pop up’ days.
We usually do a couple a year, and there’s either a theme like ‘Winter Truffle’ where all courses contain truffle and I match wines, or we pair up with a winery or supplier and have conversations around the pairing of the wine with Mikey’s dishes. These are great evenings and a really sweet way for us to engage more with our Team and our customer, showing them a little more about ourselves and what we love about dining.
Tell us a bit about your most frequented spots at OBV?
Mikey and Amanda:
Our most frequented HAS to be the Great Little Vineyards wine store - we just love their yummy wine selection. We always say, you could lock us in there and throw away the key! We both cannot speak more highly of Sebastian’s knowledge of the wineries and wines in that shop - he is just excellent, and always suggests something awesome and fit for occasion.
