Shay has spent the better part of twelve years working behind some of the greatest bars around the world, both in Australia and the UK and is a huge part of Melbourne and Sydney’s bar scenes.
Her most recent gig was managing Melbourne’s Black Pearl cocktail bar, which has won countless international awards for its drink’s program, bar team and consistent world class hospitality offering.
“The Pearl was an absolute honour to be a part of,” says Shay. “It’s the kind of bar that past staff still frequent and that even upon your first visit you feel like a regular,” she says.
“Making the decision to move on was a hard one, but where to move was easy,” says Shay. “Never Never gives that same genuine experience and high standards that I strive to deliver,” she continues.
It’s very rare that you get the opportunity to work with someone who brings as much to the table as Shay does. This will be an incredible opportunity to work with one of the country’s most exciting and respected bartending minds.
Even though conditions across Australia are incredibly testing for our industry, it will bounce back, and when it does, we want to ensure we have the very best people working in our small team.
“Never Never is a brand that create incredible products that I always enjoyed working with when I was at Black Pearl,” says Shay. “Their focus on getting as much flavour into the bottle meant that I always felt comfortable recommending it to guests.”
“It’s a cracking gin made by people who have worked their way up from a shed in Adelaide’s west, to making the best gin in the country,” says Shay. “I’m so proud to be working alongside them and to become a part of the Never Never family,” she says.
Shay will be assisting in the rollout of Never Never’s ‘Seek More Flavour' campaign, which will see Never Never setting out on its most ambitious task to date, convincing gin enthusiasts everywhere to upgrade from their G&T of choice and make it a Triple Juniper Gin this season.
While being based primarily in Melbourne, Shay will be on tour around the country for a lot of her work. Keep an eye on her Instagram if you're keen to hear more about her adventures with Never Never!
It’s not the first time that Shay has worked with us with the two previously joining forces when creating a collaborative Amaro made with Black Pearl in 2019.
“It was amazing to get a chance to work with Never Never on such a creative and innovative product,” says Shay. “It gave me the opportunity to see how they operate and how much care and energy they put into their spirits across the board.”
The Black Juniper Amaro has been awarded back-to-back Australia’s Best Bitter Liqueur at the World Liqueur Awards and the third most innovative spirit release in 2020.
