10 mins with...
WILLIAM HARRIS, founding partner of Avroko
A What is the business model of Avroko?
Our mission at Avroko is to make the world uniquely hospitable, and to support that endeavour we have created a holistic suite of four companies under the Avroko umbrella.
The first, Avroko Design, focuses on boutique hospitality interior design and architecture. Brand Bureau is our strategy and branding agency where we think far upstream in building a strategic vision and brand foundation for developers and brands of scale. Our Avroko Hospitality Group is a management company which oversees Avroko’s owned-and-operated bars and restaurants, including Saxon + Parole, The Poni Room, Ghost Donkey and Liquorette. Lastly, to ensure quality control, Goodshop is our manufacturing outfit producing much of our bespoke lighting and furniture pieces globally. All companies work hand in hand to surround the hospitality space in creating highly integrated projects.
What has been your most memorable or standout experience thus far through Avroko?
One of our most memorable experiences has to be winning our first two James Beard Awards, in the same night! If not familiar, some call these the “Oscars of the hospitality world” in the States. To be honest we weren’t expecting any at all, and so to be the first firm ever to sweep the two awards of the design category (for branding and interiors) was a welcome surprise back then.
Share with us one difficulty you faced when you started Avroko.
It’s unusual to have a design firm with four equal, creative partners. In the beginning, we certainly had no shortage of design power, but our interest in topics like finance or legal matters was less robust. It was difficult at first, but we all have entrepreneurial personalities and so in time we were able to do what was needed to learn what was necessary, including hiring the right people to help, and tighten up the ship.
Where does the future lie for Avroko?
We are building upon our vast experience to develop new self-propelled projects. One thing we are interested in is changing the landscape of modern, urban residential buildings by infusing our unique vision of hospitality. We debuted this new development concept in a recent hospitality-focused issue of METROPOLIS magazine, which we also had the honor of guest editing. The near future promises much adventure as we will be taking our food and beverage brands to new destinations. We are also diving deeper into the world of future foods by including and experimenting with alternative proteins in our restaurant Saxon + Parole, as well as considering investing in and developing new-to-market products.
Tell us about a recent meal that impressed you.
We recently had an amazing experience at Cloudstreet in Singapore. The best seats are at the dining bar where one can be front and center to the open kitchen and expediting station, watching all of the energetic cooking and gorgeous plating come together. Besides the caring, personal touches - from chef-owner Rishi Naleendra - the flavours were outstanding and the presentations brilliant.
What’s your favourite comfort food?
Sick, sad, tired or just in need of a pick me up? A good baked macaroni and cheese is my guiltiest and most delicious choice.
How do you achieve work-life balance?
Ha, you’re assuming we do! Well, it’s always a bit of a struggle, but we all truly love what we do, and so we strive to fold in our professional passions with our personal ones, and because of our line of work, fortunately, those overlap quite a lot. Travel, food, wine, design, repeat.