Written by: Chloe Cattanach
Date: 8th January 2024

Being a part of the Cuckoo team brings me great personal satisfaction. This can only occur within a business when; effective preparation and planning takes place, good team communication skills are used, and when all colleagues are working together. It is an honour to represent a growing local family business, who produce top quality spirits and community entertainment. Find out more about our story here.

My Journey

I started as a shy teenager in the kitchen, on pot wash duty, with no confidence in speaking to people at all. To get to where I am today, it has been a massive journey and one of my greatest achievements. I absolutely love working at Cuckoo. It is so family orientated and has given me the opportunity to grow, not only as a part-time worker, but as a person overall. If you would have told me 4 years ago that I’d be where I was today, I wouldn’t have believed it.

The skills I have acquired over the past years at the Distillery have surprised not only my friends and family, but most of all myself. From doing the dirty work in the cellar and around the farm, to being professional and confident when speaking with regular and new customers. It is lovely when the customers recognise and know who you are, with staff relying on ME on how to solve any issues.

Building a Strong Team

Building a strong team at Cuckoo requires growing trust in each other, to pursue work ethics and sustain a positive, friendly environment amongst the staff and local community. The Team, aka “Legendary Bar Staff”, are more like family than colleagues. We all work together and continuously graft, so that we, as a company, can grow bigger and better each year. We have a responsibility to serve and take care of each and every customer, whereby we always adhere to constantly deliver with a smile on our faces – no matter the situation.

I believe staff training at the very beginning is crucial. It helps them learn, practice, and grow these skills until they develop their own personal way of serving customers. Even though you might not see the same workers each shift, the team build a unique relationship with everyone in their own way. Our team is small but brings huge passion and an outstanding atmosphere for all bar nights and events. It is incredibly rewarding to welcome new people to the Distillery and offer a memorable experience for all.

The hospitality industry can be difficult to work in, but the relationships we create with the local customers make the industry so much easier and a pleasure to work in.