My food & drink job: Craig Chambers, tour guide & general helper, Rock Rose Gin

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Craig Chambers, Rock Rose Gin

Craig’s interest in the drinks industry was sparked by the craft beer boom, which led to a discovery (and love of) craft spirits

Name: Craig Chambers

Age: 19

Job title: tour guide & general helper

Company & location: Rock Rose Gin (Dunnet Bay Distillery), Dunnet Scotland.

Education: Undergraduate at Heriot-Watt University studying brewing and distilling

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink?

The concept of being able to make so many different tasting products really intrigued me

I always had an interest in the, at the time, up-and-coming craft beer scene. The concept of being able to make so many different tasting products really intrigued me and inspired me to pursue some sort of career in the drink industry. I then got a job out at Dunnet Bay Distillery and it opened my eyes up to the spirit side of the market that I hadn’t really considered originally.

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two)

My job is to take groups of tourists around the distillery and educate them on Dunnet Bay Distillery’s short, but very interesting, history. I also help out with the shop and on the production line some days.

Read more: Sarah MacLellan on how to make it in the male-dominated world of whisky distilling

What does a typical day look like for you?

The outline to my days is the same usually. Stock my cupboards, clean the tour area, prepare the garnishes and sell gin. However, each day is unique due to each tour having its own look because of the people who are on it.

Tell us about how you went about applying for your job.

I had originally seen a Facebook post from the ‘Rock Rose Gin’ page which was looking for a couple of people to join their production team. I decided that this would give me a brilliant opportunity to experience the other side of the industry that I hadn’t really considered when thinking about the degree I’m currently studying. The interview was very friendly and the questions were just typical questions to get an idea of my teamwork, confidence and reliability. I wouldn’t say there was one individual question that was tough, as each question made me think in a different way. However, I was asked at the end of the interview if I would be interested in leading distillery tours if need be… I agreed and my role at the distillery is now the tour guide.

What’s the best part about working for a food company?

I’ve had the chance to converse and interact with people form all over the world

The samples!! No, I think the best part about working in food and drink is the fact that you get to meet a wide range of people. From tourists popping into our wee shop in Dunnet to meeting people at big events down south, I’ve had the chance to converse and interact with people form all over the world.

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink?

I think many people see working in food and drink being quite an easy working job, when in actual fact there is a lot going on behind the scenes to continually meet pressing deadlines whilst still ensuring the same quality of product for every single customer. I know that specifically in my role I have to ensure I’m well versed and prepared to answer any question I could potentially face, all of which is required to be done out of working hours.