From neighbourhood locals to city hotspots, Auckland’s vibrant café scene offers so much more than a quick caffeine fix—with many of our city’s coffee shops run by those whose passion lies in bringing together communities. In fact, among the bustling array of cafés, a new wave of coffee shop owners is making its mark.
Parnell’s newly-opened Young Dandy is a vibrant café helmed by James Prendergast, whose two decades of global hospitality experience shine through in every detail. Inspired by European café culture, James has created a cosy, intimate space with exposed brick and handcrafted furniture, brimming with charm. Here, the focus falls on specialty coffee, featuring a consistent house blend from Ozone Coffee and intriguing single origins for aficionados. The menu offers elevated classics, and the hospitality in this community-driven space is always warm and welcoming. Denizen talked to James about the reason behind his career pivot.
Tell me about your own background. What were you doing previously?
For the past eight years, I worked in different areas of the coffee industry for Ozone Coffee between London and New Zealand. After managing one of their Shoreditch locations, Ozone relocated me to Auckland to set up the Grey Lynn site as Restaurant GM and introduce the brand to the Auckland market. For the past three years I have been in a sales role with Ozone which connected me deeper to the coffee community here in Auckland helping people set up their cafes, staff trainings, etc. During this time, I was also approached to take on the catering for the Aotearoa Art Fairs at The Cloud which took place in 2022 and 2023. Prior to this, I have previously worked stints in New York, Byron Bay, and within the Whistler hospo scene.
Why the pivot into café ownership? What inspired you to make the switch?
It was inevitable that I wanted to open my own space—it has been a dream of mine from the very beginning. I have worked all over the world, and felt like this was the right time for me to get it done. I would have regretted not doing it.
What is your favourite thing about what you do? What makes you so passionate about it?
A big part of this is how personal it all feels—I was involved in the design and fit-out myself, so the café feels like a real extension of me. For people to come in and enjoy the space with enthusiasm, that’s pretty cool to reflect on.
What have you carried over from your previous career that gives you a unique point of difference?
Having worked in lots of different avenues of the hospitality industry, all around the world, I have been fortunate to have learnt from some amazing people over the years. I wanted to create a space to share that knowledge and showcase some good old fashioned hospitality.
This interview was first published in Denizen. Click here to read the original article.
