Our People
Postmasters Kitchen + Bar is only as great as its team. We are a family of hospitality professionals focussed on giving our guests a great experience. We all have our strengths, strive to be better tomorrow than we are today and are committed to making Postmasters Kitchen + Bar the great hospitality business it is!
Sam Laycock + Maria Kealy – The Kealy Laycocks
Originally from England and Ireland Sam and Maria are New Zealand citizens along with their 2 sons, Finn and Noah. They met in Queenstown in 2009 and quickly made the Whakatipu their home. Loving the outdoor lifestyle Maria can be found hiking or skiing in the mountains and Sam can be found on a mountain bike or in the garden!
Michelle - Operations Manager
Diva - Restaurant Manager
I’m Diva in New Zealand but back home in Mumbai I’m Devyani Kajare. In 2017 I swapped the busy streets of Mumbai for Queenstown’s stunning mountains. After graduating from the Southern Institute of Technology with a graduate diploma in Hotel Management I explored Queenstown for a few years until I found myself captivated by Arrowtown’s peacefulness.
‘Unlike Queenstown’s adrenaline rush, Arrowtowns charm and peace are more my speed – like swapping a Bollywood dance party for a scenic yoga session!’
As the Restaurant Manager of Postmasters Kitchen + Bar I get a kick out of connecting with our guests and creating a memorable experience. If you hear laughter erupting in the restaurant it’s probably me having a good chat with some guests – that’s the best part of the job.
Fun fact: You won’t find me scaling mountains or bungy jumping, instead I’ll be whipping up delicious Indian feasts or dancing like nobody’s watching!
Bala - Sous Chef
What excites me most about the hospitality industry is the opportunity to create unforgettable experiences and my strength is bringing people together.
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring new cultures and cuisines which inspire my approach to hospitality.
I believe that every guest interaction is an opportunity to create a lasting impression.
Keep smiling,
Louis - Chef
A 5th generation New caledonian, I came to New Zealand to follow my passion for cooking. Postmasters Kitchen + Bar has given me the perfect opportunity by allowing me to complete my level 3 in cookery whilst working full time.
It’s taken me a moment to get used to the colder temperatures but I’ve loved exploring the south island on my days off.
Whilst I’m at the beginning of my hospitality career my dream is to have my own hospitality business and I’m dedicated to learning everything I can about the industry.
Fun fact: I used to be a bodybuilder and male dancer! It was fun but it wasn’t longterm for me.
Our Values
Work Smart
We aim to make better decisions everyday. Constantly evaluating what we do and how we do it means we can continually develop.
Honesty
Mistakes are a fact of life, what matters to us is how we process them. We always take the time to learn.
Sustainability
Sustainability is so important to us we have written a whole page about it!
Giving back
We’re not just successful because of what we do, we’re also successful because of what surrounds us. Giving back into our community makes our business much more rewarding.