The Nugget: Brendon Brandon Lela'ulu

For those of you enjoying your middle-age, the American sitcom “Cheers” which ran from 1982 to 1993 will be well known.

The theme song memorably sang of a bar where “everybody knows your name”.

These days however, it’s another ‘80s classic that undeniably deserves that mantle: Ponsonby, Auckland restaurant Prego.

A huge part of that is due to co-owner, general manager, maître d’, mother-hen and hospitality genius, Brandon Lela’ulu, whose ability to keep plates spinning, literally and figuratively, day-after-day, is legendary.

Not only does Brandon always remember your name, but often your next-door-neighbour’s-Aunty’s-cat’s as well.

Yep, Brandon’s seen it all: excess behaviour; bad behaviour (including hastily organised exits for diners who simply shouldn’t have been there, saving a marriage or two along the way); and famous people, with actress Frances McDormand and film makers, the Coen brothers his favourites.

And while Brandon reckons the best thing about the job can also be the worst thing (the people!), he’s never lost sight of making sure everyone leaves better than when they came in.

This always starts with his famous colourful shirt collection - “I get strange looks when I wear a quiet shirt”. No wonder he loves 3 Wise Men’s huge selection of prints and patterns, including the tailored single-cuff, purple paisley Ravenswood shirt ($120 or 3 for $300) which he teams here with our black cotton Huxton pants ($120 or 3 for $300) and leather Chelsea boots ($220 or 2 for $333).

Outside of work Brandon and his partner David love music in all forms, travelling, cooking (although he refuses to ever look at a recipe), and baking - where he likes to channel his original training as a patisserie chef by cranking out “mean-as” blueberry and lemon-zest muffins.

All of which makes for a hugely appetising life lived full to the brim.

Read on for some other tasty nibbles from the great man himself.