Food Wine Sleep

Nick Reed, originally from Geelong, started in the industry by getting a job in a local bar to support himself whilst studying politics at the University of Melbourne. He quickly developed a love of the job and the life style that went with it.

Two years into his degree he decided to take a break from studies and left Australia to travel Europe. Through a mutual friend he came into contact with Jamie MacDonald and secured a job at Tigerlily in Edinburgh as part of the opening crew. It was at Tigerlily that Nick began to learn the art of cocktail making and became part of the Edinburgh bar scene.

After two years it was time to return home or risk deportation! Nick returned to Melbourne to finish his degree whilst also gaining employment at 1806, an up and coming cocktail bar which was quickly becoming a big player in Australia’s bar scene. Soon after Nick was given the role of co-manager and during his term 1806 won a number of awards including the coveted “Best Cocktail List in the world” at the Tales of the American Cocktail award ceremony in New Orleans, U.S.A. During this time Nick wrote, organised and ran a 3 day cocktail course for 15 budding Geelong bartenders, with the development of people in his home town becoming one of his continuing pet projects.

In April 2009 Nick returned to the U.K and was soon invited by Jamie and Teddy to be involved in the opening of Edinburgh’s newest Cocktail bar “The Raconteur.” It was here that Nicks skills as a bartender and a manager really began to reach the next level as he had so much involvement in the process that saw “The Raconteur” be nominated for the award for “Best New Cocktail bar” in the U.K after only five months of trading.

Sadly for Edinburgh, the call to come home was too strong and Nick left the UK to start a fresh challenge as co-manager, heading up the new era at 1806 alongside an old Edinburgh acquaintance Andy Wren. Together they hope to uphold 1806’s fine standing in the international bar community whilst implementing fresh ideas to keep it at the forefront of the Australian scene.