Where I started: Waiting tables at St. Petersburg Restaurant in Parnell (aged 16).
Where I am now: Founder of Bayside Rum Co. & Bar Manager at Ahi.
It was sitting in an accounting class, reading a cocktail manual behind his course notes that Egor Petrov first realised, definitely, that hospitality had his heart. When I ask him where it all began, he tells me that his earliest memory of appreciating flavours was as a child, exploring his grandparents’ expansive garden. “We’d get out of the car at my grandparent’s house and run straight into the garden, picking raspberries, smelling herbs and exploring all of the fruit and vegetables they grew. I found it fascinating,” he recounts. It’s little wonder, then, that Petrov’s first job was in a restaurant, waiting tables at St. Petersburg Restaurant in Parnell. “My first customers were on a hens do, and they all totally loved me,” laughs Petrov, “I had no idea what I was doing, but I figured it out pretty quickly.”
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After school, Petrov liked the idea of working for a luxury hotel, so set his sights on Melbourne where he secured a job as a concierge at The Hilton. The atmosphere of a hotel, he tells me, was great, but the corporate structure didn’t suit him. He returned home and landed a role at Showcase Hospitality, before moving over to The Britomart Hospitality Group, and it’s within these businesses that he found his groove in the industry and built a solid foundation for all that followed. After running a few bars in the city, Petrov was offered an incredible opportunity as the Beverage Director of a social & dining destination in Dubai — which then led to a job with Sean Connolly as part of the pre-opening team at his Dubai Opera eatery, before moving on to become the head of beverage for Dubai’s largest hospitlaity group, which counted Burj Khalifa as one of its many establsihments. Petrov remained there for several years before heading back home during Covid to start his rum company, Bayside Rum Co.
“With Bayside Rum Co. I’m able to use all of the skills I’ve accumulated across my career, and knowledge of the industry [to make something] that I’m proud of.”
The accumulation of a vast career spanning multiple countries, establishments, and roles set the foundation for Petrov’s own spirits company, but, despite his extensive experience, network of contacts, and incredible insight into the inner workings of a hospitality business, it’s still been a steep learning curve. “Starting a business isn’t easy, but the growth has been incredible,” says Petrov. “I’m doing it all on the side while maintaining my role as the bar manager at Ahi, so it’s busy to say the least,” he continues, “But really fulfilling, too.”
Running Bayside Rum Co. and having full control over production has allowed Petrov to really harness his creativity and tap into his passion for incredible produce (something that began all those years ago in his grandparent’s garden), and experiment with fermentation — another interest of his, to create something truly unique. “Drinks have always been how I’ve channelled my creativity. With Bayside Rum Co. I’m able to use all of the skills I’ve accumulated across my career, and knowledge of the industry — paired with my personal interests, to make drinks that I’m proud of,” he tells me.
The advice he’d give to someone starting out is to stay curious and not be afraid to ask questions. “Working in a bar, you meet so many people — take the time to get to know them, as you never know what might come from a conversation,” he says “That, and prioritise your health from the beginning. There’s a real temptation working in a bar or restaurant to burn the candle at both ends, but that will only lead to poor health and resentment,” says Petrov. “If you want to succeed, and last the distance, taking care of yourself is key.”
Despite only being 34, Petrov has so much behind him, but when you ask — he’ll tell you this is just the beginning. With big plans to expand on Bayside Rum Co.’s offering this year, with two new rums in the works that he hopes will set the brand apart on the world stage, and the introduction of his incredible house-fermented sodas and cocktails at Ahi, Petrov is a prime example of how much hospitality has to offer those willing to earn their stripes.
