Want to see someone get fired up? Ask them about their taste in food or music. So why not combine the two? In a regular feature we go behind the scenes to find out what chefs in the city listen to before and after their restaurants open for service. This week, Colin Johnson, Head Banger and Part Time Beer Taster, discusses what keeps the chefs at Bestie happy. For your listening pleasure, check out Augustus Pablo - King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown. Says Johnson, "It just gets me in a great frame of mind for sausage cookery and I know all the words and like to sing along an' ting." 
Here at Bestie music is always to the fore. We don't have a structural divide between kitchen and front of house, being a tiny open kitchen and all, so what ever is on the sound system is what we all listen to.
During Kitchen set-up, before the doors open, the cooks get to choose what to play, normally the first one in gets to pick what they want to listen to and it ranges from punk to gansta rap, to experimental and eclectic electronica -depending on who is working. I love old school hip hop to set up the prep for the day's business, something with bounce and energy (and perhaps a little angst) to inspire productivity.
Then when the doors open, it all depends, sometimes what we are listening to for "meez "stays on depending on how appropriate or not it is.
We have quite a few members of staff with strong links to the local music scene, a few punk and indie guitarists both front and back of house, plus a dance music DJ works in the kitchen too when he is not playing gigs. And Dane Brown (co owner of Bestie) also has an online record business hawking rare soul, funk and dance music vinyl.
There is no autocratic process as to what's to be played. Though I'll admit I do love it when Dane is in charge of the playlist for service, especially when there is dub reggae (which I can never get enough of) or old soul or even Afro beat, but something funky to help crank out the bangers always helps. But in a nutshell anything goes. I also like something ambient and pretty chill for clean down at the end of the day too.
· Bestie [Official Site]
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