Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Noland.
Hi Austin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have been in hospitality for almost 17 years now. I have worked my way from busboy to General Manager and have worked worldwide. When I was 21, I left college, sold my car, and moved to New Zealand to study wine and work in vineyards. I did this for a year and then moved to Australia. However, at this point, I decided to focus on craft cocktails, so I moved to a beautiful and renowned cocktail bar & restaurant called The Smith. I learned how to run and manage a successful bar program there through several amazing mentors. I was then offered to go to Japan and study Japanese whiskey for a month! I learned a ton about how that industry worked and decided I wanted to continue to pursue my knowledge of beverages and flavors by traveling throughout Asia. When I was 25, I moved back to the US and started working as a bartender at a beautiful boutique hotel called The Moonrise in St. Louis, MO.
I was promoted to food and beverage director, and we won some tremendous local awards for our cocktail program. Then COVID hit, and I had to lay off my whole staff, so I decided to start over and move to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I began bartending for a hotel restaurant in the Sage Hospitality Group. I was once again promoted to Food and beverage director; however, this time, it happened within a month and a half of my starting. From there, I started to turn my focus from beverage to restaurant management. I was based in Jackson Hole for almost two years before I was allowed to travel and open several restaurants within the company or go out and help those struggling. I successfully helped open, rebrand, or manage 10+ restaurants in a year. Then I decided I was tired of living out of a bag and wanted to move somewhere with a tight-knit community in hospitality that would also be considered a destination.
That is when I heard of Indigo Road Hospitality in Charleston. I reached out to Steve Palmer, who put me in contact with his management team (Jennifer Krapp & Justin Schoener), who were welcoming and had a vision for hospitality that was both unique and exciting. From there, I decided that Charleston and The Kingstide were the right fit for me. It has multiple outlets, including a rooftop bar, a fine dining restaurant, and a cafe, similar to the hotel multi-outlet programs I was used to. I came into Kingstide right at the end of the year and have been doing all I can to grow and bring a culture of excellence and friendliness to anyone who enters our doors.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have been lonely, broke, and scared a ton in my career. I have been homeless in a country where I don’t know a single person. I have had problems with addiction. I worked 77 days straight, putting in over 100+ hours every week. This industry can be complex and unforgiving on the body and also mentally. However, in the restaurant world, we constantly preach that no matter what is happening outside the restaurant, we can leave our problems at the door and are lucky enough to serve and celebrate with every guest.
We’ve been impressed with Kingstide, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Kingstide, a waterfront property on Daniel Island, is part of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group. We specialize in guest experience. I aim to make everyone in our doors feel welcome and special. That goes for every restaurant on Indigo Road. With my bartending and travel background, I specialize in relating to our guests. I am lucky enough to have seen and done a lot at a fairly young age, so I get to relate to people from where they are from or a hobby they enjoy. I know that anyone who comes to our restaurant, though, can relate to wanting to have good food! I am proud to be a part of Indigo Road, and I genuinely believe in what they preach and how we approach our guest’s experience and company culture.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Everything I have mentioned in this interview shows I enjoy risks. Risk is necessary. If you want to grow in business or as a human, you must take risks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thekingstide.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekingstide/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheKingstide
