people of OMA | david cheles
a q+a with our general manager, david.
the teddy bear of our team. the man at the helm of our front of house. introducing david, our general manger.
background.
what attracted you to the world of hospitality?
when i was a teenager, i used to play in rock bands and needed money to buy instruments or pay for studio time. i started working in restaurants to fund this, as my parents weren’t very supportive of me pursuing a musical career, which, to be fair, wasn’t unreasonable - i wasn’t particularly good at it.
my first restaurant job was in lisbon when i was 15, and i absolutely loved that summer. i met loads of amazing people, learned so much, and became more mature, even developing the confidence to hold a conversation with adults of any age or social background. i enjoyed it so much that i’ve continued working in restaurants and bars alongside my studies ever since.
what was your first hospitality job?
my very first job was a restaurant / tavern called o prego da anta in lisbon old town.
what has been your favourite hospitality role?
my favourite role in hospitality so far has been as a general manager. i really enjoy driving the business, but what i value even more is seeing growth and progress within the team. i also love working closely with a strong group of managers and being part of their development and progression.
why do you love working in hospitality?
hospitality is all about people, nothing less. for me, the most important thing is being surrounded by good people who share the same goals. working in restaurants is great because no two days are ever the same, every service is unique, and there’s always an opportunity to improve.
OMA.
when did you join the OMA team?
i joined right from the start. i remember having a coffee with david [ carter ] and seeing AGORA still operating as the previous business. i even sat where table 210 is now! i instantly fell in love with the project and his vision for the building.
what made you want to work at oma?
i really enjoy restaurant openings and the chance to build a team from square one. starting from scratch gives you the opportunity to get so many things right. even more importantly, i always learn a lot from david, and i believe his group is probably the most exciting collection of restaurants in london right now.
what is your favourite food item on the menu and why?
salt cod xo. silky, umami, crunchy. all the different flavours and textures made this spread probably one the bests i have ever tasted.
what is your favourite wine pairing or cocktail?
OMA negroni – always. i love it extra cold. it’s a super elegant drink, with camomile and pomegranate gently strained, a little bit of white port which gives it a different body. it’s just great.
if you were an item on the OMA menu, what would it be and why?
tahini, hot honey, crispy chickpea– sugar and spice (ha!).
general.
what are your 3 favourite restaurants in london?
trinity / kol / lucia’s at the moment.
what are your 3 favourite bars in london?
swift in soho / satan’s whiskers/ tayer + elementary
your go-to post-shift drink?
swift bm
what does your typical day off look like?
like an experimental jazz track at times.