Chat at the bar with… Harriet Leigh

Today we are joined by Harriet Leigh, Head of Hospitality and Lead Creative with Archie Rose. Harriet has worked in hospitality for over 27 years, with the last 10 of those being at Archie Rose. We chat about her life in hospitality, her role at Archie Rose and why the simplest drink served at the perfect time can be the best thing to ever cross your lips.

Bars & Cocktails: What inspired you to become a bartender?

Harriet Leigh: I was lost and had no idea what I wanted to do. I have hospitality in my family, and it was the most natural job after school, then I fell in love with it. My first role was bar, and it’s still my favourite role in the world of hospitality.

There is something so safe about the reinforcement of the two feet of wood between you and the customer. It feels emboldening, and it’s the most fun. In my opinion the least fun work in hospitality is cafe work – people are at their worst on their way to work before their morning coffee. And they’re at their best after work on a Friday, two Margaritas in. 

B&C: Can you tell us about your current role and what it entails?

HL: My role is a hybrid position; I look after hospitality for Archie Rose – the representation of our products through drinks and heightened experiences. Whether that is at our venue or via the hundreds of events we do around Australia.

In addition to that I lead the creative for the company, working from the inception – new product development – of the products with the other heads of departments, through to directing all our company shoots and the strategy and execution of creative. That’s the look and feel of products, or the campaigns to communicate them to the public.

It’s a wildly disparate role. Mainly due to the fact that I started a few months after the brand began, and did a bit of everything as we grew. 

B&C: What’s one thing the bar industry is doing really well right now, and one thing it could do better?

HL: I think the Me Too moment the industry is having is well overdue. The Sorry Not Sorry campaign, the articles in the mainstream media brought about by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age – are all overdue.

It’s been really refreshing to see how some leading men in the industry have reacted to it. It’s even been reflected in the hospitality RSA training.

In terms of what could be done better? I’ll be interested to see how the RSA training bodies intend to execute this training. Sexual assault training is an incredibly delicate process, and I worry for the women who have experienced sexual assault having to sit through trainings carried out by people who may not be fully capable in that execution. 

B&C: What’s a drink trend you’re loving right now and one you wish would go away?

I’m well and truly over minimalism. Entire menus of clarified drinks on clear, large-format cubes with circular cut garnishes are feeling very tired. 

B&C: What’s the best cocktail you’ve ever had, and where did you have it?

It was in the Kimberley over 20 years ago, with my extended family to celebrate my mother’s recovery from cancer. 

And it was a G&T. We had very tight drink rations on that trip, but we had a sundowner every night at 6pm, and each of us got to cater one night.

We had a lot of VB stubbies. But I bought a bottle of well-known basic gin and some run-of-the-mill old tonic in a remote town shop, a bag of servo ice, no citrus. And that G&T washing the red dirt off my lips was the greatest drink I’ve ever had in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I’d love to do that again, this time with an Archie Rose!