Getting roasted with Pav
As part of our City Lunch Special, we asked all-round-cool guy Rohan Rees to talk coffee, spirits and Singapore secrets with the famous Pav from Sarnies.
If you are a regular at Sarnies (seriously you must know this place) you will know Pav. He’s arguably the best barista in Singapore (maybe the world), but it’s the positive energy field around him that keeps customers coming back long after the buzz from his coffee has worn off.
So Pav I have to ask why are you so freakin happy all of the time? Is there something extra in your beans that we’re not getting?
(Laughing) I guess I just focus more on the good in everything, because that’s just what stands out more for me. And seriously man, the more you focus on that the more you can get naturally high.
What’s the best part of your job?
The fact that it doesn’t feel like work to me, that’s the best part. We roast our own beans here right, so I’m like just back from a coffee plantation visit in West Sumatra, with my business partner and great mate Ben, in search of the perfect bean. We explored and met heaps of really lovely locals. I speak a bit of Bhasa (after living in the jungle in Borneo for a year…but that’s a whole other story).
Where does a barista go in Singapore when he’s got time on his hands?
We might be living in an industrialised city but Singapore still has its fair share of nature, which I love. There are actually some great walking trails here, like the Alexander Garden trail from Holland Village to Bukit Timah. But I’ll often hang out, on my days off, at a place called Coastal Settlement in Changi, it’s really green and it’s got a super chilled vibe. It’s proper old school village Singapore.
Having grown up in Singapore, you must know some genuine hidden secrets here?
I know loads man. Like there’s this secluded part of Palau Ubin called Chek Jawa. There used to be people living there, but there’s like only one guy there now, and he’s a ceramicist. The island won’t be there forever though, so go check it out. Go spend a day there.
What’s the secret to Sarnies’ success?
There’s no secret, it’s just been about being ourselves. Coffee is about having fun, we really just don’t take things too seriously and I just love coffee. It’s a drug man.
Will the future of coffee in Singapore continue be the espresso machine or will we see the recent emergence of cold press or drip feeds or pour overs take over?
I think it’s going to be a bit of both. Espresso will never die because it’s just so lovely what you can get out of it; it’s so unique, crèma and taste wise. But having said that, we’re getting a huge ice drip where it can take up to 16hrs for the coffee to brew. You know that coffee high you get from espresso well it’s waaay stronger with an ice drip and lasts so much longer.
Coffee that good could end up banned in Singapore. What’s next for the Sarnies’ empire?
Sarnies is a one of a kind, so full of character and love. Sarnies is not going to change, however Ben and I are also focused on channeling that same relaxed family vibe into a new restaurant project, which we are hoping to have up and running by mid 2014. Sarnies also hosts events, people really get into the spirit, we had some absolute crackers in 2013. Next year we’re looking at taking our coffee to the next level. We’re looking to introduce some real ‘under the radar’ beans to our customers, beans that until now remained known only to real coffee experts.
Sarnies has built up a huge audience of loyal followers over the years. Given how strongly you’ve connected to the masses, which do you see yourself doing; authoring a self-help book or starting your own semi-religious cult?
Both are likely to happen down the track, but if you’d have joined my religious cult, then I probably owe you a self-help book to help you get out.
Sounds like you’ve had plenty of wild adventures in your world travels and experienced plenty of different things, have any of these led to a real life sighting of a unicorn?
There are actually plenty around if you’re at the right place at the right time.
So you’re saying that if you’re of the right mindset they’ll just come to you
Absolutely, I say man if you’re a dreamer then keep on dreaming.
Thanks Pav & Rohan, see you next time.
You can find Sarnies at 136 Telok Ayer Street.
To check out more inspiring stories, take a look at our feature on Vanda Fine Clothing – The Value of Pride.