Meet Tommy, Assistant General Manager at Bopp & Tone

Aug 18, 2023

Meet Tommy, Assistant General Manager at Bopp & Tone in Sydney CBD, and this month’s employee of choice nominated by Applejack Hospitality!

About Tommy:
Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you get into hospitality? 
I won't lie, it was a bit of an accident really. I was studying Business at college and it just wasn’t for me. All the people I wanted to rub elbows with were studying Hospitality and Tourism, so I made the switch. I ended up getting a placement through college and the rest is history.

How did you find yourself in your current role? 
In the early days of hospo, I was just looking for a good time. But through a few years doing this you gain experience and a huge passion for it. 

I started working in a bar in the north of England and gained some management experience, from there I flew out to Australia and continued my hospo journey. In Melbourne and Sydney, I worked casually across a few venues and really started learning the industry in depth (albeit, still looking for a good time). When I joined Applejack Hospitality in 2019, I started as a casual waiter, after a few short years I worked my way into an Assistant Managers role and now I am Assistant General Manager at Bopp & Tone in Sydney CBD. 

About working at Bopp & Tone: 
What do you love most about working in your venue? 
Ooo that's a tricky one! There are lots of reasons to be honest. The food and the beverage offerings are great and I love the team I get to work with every day. The venue itself is unreal, I just love the feel and vibe of Bopp & Tone. To be honest, the main reason is, I love just being in the thick of things. Bopp is right in the middle of the Sydney CBD and being a boy from a small city just outside of Manchester, having this big metropolis on my doorstep every day, is just like one big playground! 

What skills have you developed since working in this role? 
So many! Hospo really is one of those industries where everything is happening, all day, every day. There are too many skills to list but I think the most valuable skill you learn in this sector is multitasking and being adaptable. Sometimes it's all systems go and you can't control that. Trying to juggle running a business and running a busy service at the same time can be challenging but, I believe it sets you up with the skill set to face head on, anything that comes your way in life. Breakfast events at 7 am and admin work at 10.30pm, it's an unconventional life, but it's never dull.

 

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in hospitality with Applejack? 
Its an amazing company to work for!!! If you want to really make a go of it, immerse yourself! Applejack provides so much training and so many opportunities, but you need to be ready to learn and put in the effort. You’ll need to be prepared for a busy, bustling environment and some big nights! It's a work hard and play hard industry. AJ knows exactly what they’re doing here. My advice would be, simply, just go for it. If you're ready, it's all yours for the taking with Applejack!

About the hospitality industry:
What changes in the hospo environment/culture have you noticed over time? 
The biggest change I have seen post covid is hospitality professionals leaving the industry. This was seen as a negative for recruitment purposes and staffing purposes but recently we are starting to see a positive side to this. It's paved the way for the younger generation to have fresh input. There seems to be a new wave of younger employees gaining promotions and putting forward new ideas that are completely outside of the box, with everything from venue ideas to cocktail concepts. 

The thrill and excitement of hospo is definitely on the rise again after a few s**t years and I am absolutely here for it!

What do you love most about working in hospitality?
I wasn't built to be in an office or working on a site. I've done both before and it's just not for me. There are numerous reasons why I love working in hospitality. 

Like I said before, I love to be in the thick of things. With hospo, it's all just happening. You meet numerous people from all parts of the globe every day, all with different life experiences from your own. You get to work with the most incredible produce, food and beverages from all over the world. 

There's always a challenge, always hurdles, but to create a vibe and give people a class experience and share that with them.....beats filling in a spreadsheet sat at a desk 9 am-5pm, for me anyway.

A big thanks to Tommy for his hospitality insights! If you want to start your hospitality journey, Barcats is the place to start! Create your staff profile here.
Want to work at amazing Applejack venues just like Bopp & Tone? See here for roles available now at Applejack.