people of OMA | maddie ball

a q+a with our assistant restaurant manager, maddie.

background.

what attracted you to the world of hospitality? 
for as long as i can remember i’ve been obsessed with food – i have such vivid food memories from throughout my life, from enjoying marmite toast with tea [ still one of my favourite food and drink pairings ] as a child, to the first time i tried a taco from a taqueria in mexico. the majority of my favourite moments and milestones have been based around a table, sharing food with loved ones, and i love being a part of helping others create their favourite memories on a daily basis.  

what was your first hospitality job?
my first proper hospitality job was working at a little french bistro in totnes. it started off as a casual part-time job while studying, but i ended up staying there for four years and growing within the small, family-run company. i loved the camaraderie of working with friends, the wine tastings, and the close proximity to arguably the best french fries in the southwest.  

what has been your favourite hospitality role?
after a long break from hospitality, my return to the industry came about in 2023 when i moved back to london and joined manteca. the energy of the restaurant, the respect for produce and provenance, and the amazing teams, both boh and foh, were a breath of fresh air and i realised that my passion for hospitality was very much alive.  

why do you love working in hospitality? 
being around others who love people and love food feels like home. in my mind, restaurants are living organisms that are constantly evolving and growing, and so every day is an opportunity to adapt and grow alongside some of the most fun and hard-working people you’ll ever meet.

aside from that, supplier visits and briefing tastings are some of my favourite perks of the job - i’ve been fortunate to visit suppliers such as flourish farm and langham wine estate over the past year. it’s always so inspiring to meet the people who work closely with the land to create the products our guests will later enjoy.  

OMA.

when did you join the OMA team?
i moved across from our sister restaurant manteca for the opening in april. it was my first time being part of an opening team, and it’s hard to believe how much OMA has grown since the soft launch! 

what made you want to work at OMA?
aside from draw of being a part of a totally new experience and concept, i’d previously worked with several members of the OMA opening team at manteca and they truly couldn’t have assembled a better bunch of people for the task.  

what is your favourite food item on the menu and why?
it would have to be a tie between the salt cod xo labneh and the tarama – our labneh is a day one dish that is also one of our most-loved, but the tarama converted me as a previous non-taramasalata fan. i love the element of surprise with food and so while i’m a labneh loyalist, there’s room for both at my table.  

what is your favourite wine pairing or cocktail?
it would have to be the plum mezcal margarita. i have a real soft spot for mexico and can never say no to the smoky allure of mezcal.   

if you were an item on the OMA menu, what would it be and why?
if i had to pick one, i’d say our wildfarmed laffa – warm, reliable, and a bit soft.   

general.

what are your 3 favourite restaurants in london?
my favourite and most surprising meal out this year was at polentina – i had a spaghetti al gambieri dish that gave me such joy and i since won’t stop telling people about how great this little restaurant in a textile factory canteen is.

i recently discovered the canton arms and i’m upset that i hadn’t co-opted it as my local until now – generous sharing roasts, a great value wine list, and a really nice team. but the restaurant i’ve visited most, and will always be loyal to, is silk road in camberwell. i have perfected the order over the years and am happy to share notes with anyone interested.  

what are your 3 favourite bars in london?  
for the best martinis: satan’s whiskers. for the best guinness and burgers: the plimsoll. for classic vibes and little beers: the french house.  

 your go-to post-shift drink? 
our calcarius from puglia – a punchy and classic orange wine we’re lucky to [ literally ] have on tap!  

what does your typical day off look like?  
it typically starts with good intentions to put my yoga membership to use, followed by a long [ ideally sunny ] walk around a park with a coffee in hand, and sharing breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner [ ideally all three ], in or out, with my people - i almost always have a reservation for a restaurant on my days off.