But first, coffee
OLLIE GOLD • Pophams
WORK • Wednesday Routine
OLLIE GOLD • founder • Pophams
Neighbourhood you work in: London Fields, Islington, Victoria Park
Neighbourhood you live in: Homerton
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
The bakeries are always buzzing in the mornings. As soon as the pastries are baked, front of house springs into action to get everything displayed and organised. The lingering smell of freshly baked bread and pastries creates a warm, inviting welcome that I’ll never get tired of.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Wednesdays are the days I try to work away from the site, though that doesn’t always go to plan. When it does, you’ll find me working from a café like WAVE. My agenda is pretty varied, from future planning to PR and marketing, and supporting the ops team.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Tonight, I’m heading to Shankeys, a tiny, Indian-Irish, 20-cover restaurant in Homerton. Getting a table there can be a challenge but it’s always worth it. I might try and get to Trullo as I’m seeing a couple of mates in Islington and it’s always brilliant.
Any weekend getaways?
I went to Ireland for a long weekend last year. I hadn’t explored much of Ireland before, so I was really excited. I spent one night in Dublin before heading west to Galway, which was beautiful. I also went to Margate last month and loved dining at Sargasso.
What was your last great vacation?
I recently got back from a big trip to India, which was incredible. I started in Mumbai, visiting my favourite restaurant in the world, Shree Thaker Bhojanalay, before heading to the coast for a music festival and a bit of chill time. I’ve visited India a number of times; I can’t get enough of the culture and the food.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
We recently worked with the brand 66º North and they very kindly gifted me a jacket… which isn’t technically a purchase, but I was pretty chuffed.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Rosslyn. Their coffee and service is always brilliant.