Nathan [Sasi, Bar Copains’ Culinary Director] and I come from an era where a chef starts in Australia and then travels overseas, picking up standards that they then bring back home. Something we noticed while travelling and working is that you can tell a lot about a venue by how its kitchen is set up, and how strong its systems are. For example, for the everyday container of food or anything we put away in the fridge, we always cut, rather than tear, the kitchen tape because it shows a level of respect for the person using it and the ingredients. It just looks nicer than ripped! We’ve implemented this practice into the bar from day one because it creates a level of focus and a mindset; that you’re dialled in, you're focused, you’re respecting your colleagues. I know a lot of kitchens don’t do it, and we’re not judgy about that, but cutting the tape is reflective of the mindset we want for our workplace. It’s a whole venue thing, too, not just a kitchen thing – so back and front of house abide by it. At Bar Copains, we’re precise about how we want things done, but not in a manner that feels stiff. We’ve found that this approach actually makes staff feel more relaxed in their work environment because the system is so solid. Staff can work fluidly and have some fun within our guidelines and parameters because they know that structure is there. With no structure, staff can’t relax because they don’t know where the expectation lies.