How I got here: bartender (and iceman) Matt Baker thinks you should ask better questions

Welcome to the first ever issue of Sidecar No Sugar, a weekly Boothby newsletter about Brisbane bars and the people, work and creativity that grounds it. This newsletter is your one-stop-shop for the word on the street, the 411, the town crier in the proverbial square (your email inbox). The newsletter will also feature one interview or article relevant to bar professionals that will hopefully help you better navigate, research or inspire creativity behind the stick. You can sign up to get it in your inbox each week, right here.

If you have info the Brisbane bar community should know, please email me contact@beccawang.com.au or send me a message via Instagram (@supper.partying). 

Below, lightly edited and condensed for clarity, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Matt Baker, an experienced bartender and operator of over 10 years. Matt is currently the resident Ice Man (unofficial title) and prep manager for the Cuatro Group (Death & Taxes, Dr. Gimlette, and 2024 new bar of the year, Antico). Over steak and oysters, we talked about how he got where he is today, and what he’s learnt so far.

BECCA WANG: How did you get into bartending? 

MATT BAKER: I was out in the Valley one night and lied to the owner of Lima’s Lounge, a Brazilian restaurant slash nightclub, and lied that I had bar experience – I just wanted to work there. I got the job and started off food running and bartending in a nightclub setting, but eventually I wanted to get into cocktails, so I moved to the casino and worked at the Kitty Bar. That was my first proper cocktail bar experience. 

Back then, Laruche was the place to be on a Sunday – every hospo worker in Brisbane would show up to see this theatrical bartending spectacle, with tins flying and barbacks sliding in like it was a Gatsby party. And I was like, I have to work here. 

Eventually, I ended up being the venue manager of Laruche. I got pretty burnt out because I was 22 at the time and in charge of this nightclub. I was working ridiculous hours. When I had enough, I started working for Bacardi as a rep. Within three months, I resigned. I don't know if it [was going] from being on a pedestal [and] in the spotlight to just being a cog in the corporate machine but it induced a lot of anxiety.

 [Matt tells me he went on to work at The Bowery, Death & Taxes and then later in 2021, opened Dr. Gimlette with the Cuatro Group. He moved to Montreal in 2022 and worked as a prep chef at The Coldroom, Bisou Bisou and El Pequeno. He moved back to Brisbane in 2024 to help the Cuatro Group open their prep warehouse and ice operation.]

BECCA: That was so well scripted. You know it so well off the top of your head.

MATT: Was it? Well I guess it's my life. It’s crazy, I lived it! I think I remember it very clearly because when I have one job, I throw myself into it and there’s nothing else that exists around me. There’s my friendships and that sort of thing, but there’s no other projects I work on. Maybe that’s why I burn out so much.

BECCA: I have heard from older hospitality folk that you reach this point where you don’t give the same service as you used to five, 10, 15 years ago. Do you think that you’re nearing that or you’d ever get there?

MATT: I don’t think so at all. Great hospitality can definitely be taught but it has to come from a genuine care or feeling of wanting people to feel welcome and have a good time. It should be super natural. When I moved back [to Brisbane], I really craved being the host. As the host, you’re the first point of contact and you can really set the tone. 

BECCA: What advice would you give to people who feel they may not have that instinctual spirit of hospitality? 

MATT: Something I’ve done in the past to improve my hospitality is learning how to lead conversation and how to ask questions with interest. Even teaching yourself to ask a question, listen to the answer, find another question within that answer – if you can develop that as a skill, you can make anyone feel welcome. 

BECCA: Conversation is an art and a skill. 

MATT: Exactly. I understand that people can be socially awkward but conversation can be learned – that might be through books, trying to meet new people or just listening. Through the art of conversation, you can become better at hospitality if you put a bit of effort into how you hold a conversation. 

At The Coldroom, we had this blackboard that would have a quote on it and every now and then, I would write a question to engage the customers more. It would often be something as simple as, “What’s your favourite fruit?” When we got answers, we’d ask them follow-up questions. To go further, see if you can get a group conversation going between different groups. 

BECCA: You worked in bars in Montreal, where English wasn’t the primary language. What was that like? Should more bartenders work overseas?

MATT: At first I’d just try the basics – greeting the table, welcoming them, going through the menu in French. Usually, you can tell pretty quickly – if I said “bonjour” and they replied with “hi” or “hello,” I knew they spoke English, so I’d just switch. But if they kept speaking French, I’d give it a go. Most of the time, I’d have a fallback like, “Sorry, I’m still learning French. Do you speak English?” And once they heard my Aussie accent, people were generally forgiving – sometimes even curious. There’s this weird fascination with Australia, probably because it’s so far away.

Do I advise more people to go overseas? Not everyone will have a great time, but I wish I’d done it sooner. Experiencing different cultures really opens your mind, and when you make a big move like that, you either grow to love where you are or gain a deeper appreciation for where you’re from. I was lucky enough to get both. I loved living overseas, made amazing friends and also appreciated coming home. That said, as much as I value the stability here, I do miss being overseas – it’s not as culturally diverse here.

The Last Word

• Milquetoast turned one last week. They celebrated with magnums of Chablis, chip butties with caviar and stuffed pig trotters. 
• Chris Lai is the new Diageo BA for Queensland and the NT. 
• The Nixon Room is looking for casual bartenders.
• Dark Blue and Dark Red Wine Bar are taking expressions of interest for a full-time all-rounder role.
• Entries for Step Into The Never Never 2025 are open – closes 31 July.