Bristol restaurant owners treat staff to a ten-day Mexico trip of a lifetime

The owners of a Bristol restaurant have taken employee wellbeing to another level by treating four members of staff to a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Mexico.

Kieran and Imogen Waite run the Bristol hospitality group Season + Taste, which has a number of restaurants including Bravas on Cotham Hill and Gambas at Cargo in Wapping Wharf.

They also run the Mexican-inspired Cargo Cantina at Wapping Wharf and it was staff from that restaurant who were lucky enough to be taken by the owners for a special ‘research and development’ trip to Mexico.

With the hospitality industry and its workers struggling more than ever with the fallout from the pandemic, a staffing deficit and the energy crisis, Season + Taste are doing all they can to support their teams.

The company’s founders say the business was built on values of ‘care, passion and consistent improvement’, which is why they took four team members from Cargo Cantina to Mexico.

The ten-day trip took the team to taco stands in Mexico City, Day of the Dead celebrations in Oaxaca, mezcal tasting and much more.

Starting in Mexico City, owners Kieran and Imogen took the team to the street taco stands that originally inspired Cargo Cantina’s food menu, tasting as many different tacos as possible.

The group also made plenty of time to sample Oaxaca’s famous mezcal, heading out to rural Mexico where the plants are grown, roasted and distilled.

A highlight for all was the visit to Casita de Barro, an agroecological co-operative working with a community near Puebla. Here, the team witnessed first-hand the creativity and passion of local communities working to improve their sustainability, education and preserve their cultures.

By forming a link with this charity group, Season + Taste hope to support a number of their projects in the future.

Head Chef Sean Martin said: “The standout experience was making tortillas with the women of the Perez family in Santa Ana Zegache, a village 20 miles outside of Oaxaca.

“Cooking in their outdoor kitchen, using corn grown by the family, and being shown how to make tortillas was truly a bucket list moment.”

Inspired by the trip, bar manager Marcus has already created a new drinks menu for Cargo Cantina. He said: “When in Mexico, Mezcal once again stole my heart. The cocktails are inspired by the wonder of fresh juice, agua frescas, and the fact that we make the best margarita.”

Since the trip, the team have started importing Neta mezcal, an special spirit made by families in Oaxaca. Alongside the cocktails, the restaurant has revitalised its selection of Mexican style beers and introduced Micheladas in several flavours, offering a different experience for beer lovers willing to try something new.

Co-owner Kieran said: “Trips like this one are a fantastic way to celebrate and thank our team members for all their hard work.

“We’re glad to see them return inspired and ready to bring some amazing new things to Cargo Cantina. With new business and charity links formed we’re looking forward to bringing more Mexican produce and culture to our little Bristol box at Cargo.”