Tenor combines two great loves in working life

A boutique hotel and antiques work in harmony for Jack Bourke. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

New Zealand-born Tongan tenor Jack Bourke balances a career as a professional opera singer with managing luxury boutique hotel Mollies in St Mary's Bay. When he's not at the hotel meeting and greeting guests from overseas he's is in demand as a singer.

Bourke's flair for fashion and interior design is evident in his role at the five-star hotel, where he is known for his satirical style and his love of Scandinavian antiques.

"I'm lucky to be able to combine all my passions - singing, interior design and fashion in my dual careers," he says.

Mollies, which won Best New Small Hotel in Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report in the international Hotel Awards, is also a member of the exclusive luxury boutique hotels group The Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

Since graduating from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Music in performance singing, Bourke has made a name for himself in opera, singing in productions throughout New Zealand and studying in Italy.

10 FAVOURITE THINGS

1. I have a thing for jackets, blazers and coats but if I had to single one out as a favourite it would be my ice-blue velvet dinner jacket with satin lapels that I bought last year while I was on holiday in Malaysia. Every time I wear it I get complimented on it.

2. Strange and rare things fascinate me, particularly in interior design. To me there are no rules - if it looks great, why not put sleek modern pieces in a room with 18th century antique furniture reupholstered in 21st century fabric? We've done that at Mollies and one of my favourite pieces is the Swedish day bed we've just had recovered in lemon silk.

3. Maria Callas' 1954 recording of Casta Diva. When I want to relax, this aria has special significance to me because it's the first classical vocal piece I heard as a student and it inspired me to switch from my accounting degree to studying music.

4. I've developed an appreciation for Swedish furniture. A particular favourite is an early 18th century clock at Mollies.

5. My love of foods extends to table settings. I love nothing more than the challenge of creating new concepts. To me, it's an art form. Frances Wilson, the owner of Mollies, introduced me to a world of sophistication and elegance that included the use of chargers, which are plates used in table settings purely for aesthetics. They are not designed to be eaten off. They are there simply to look good. One of my favourites is the set of black and white toile patterned chargers Frances gave me for Christmas.

6. Being a metrosexual male I'm very much into skincare. My new role as general manager requires me to be well groomed at all times, even when we have international guests arriving at 5am. I take particularly good care of my skin, using Dermalogica skin care products morning and night. The other key ingredient is La Prairie Cellular Radiance Eye Cream - this stuff can hide anything and everything.

7. Orchids are another favourite. In opera, it's traditional to receive flowers on your opening night. I like to feel every day is an opening night for me by always having flowers in the house. One of my favourites is the Phalenopsis orchid. Its pure and utter beauty requires very little adornment to bring it to life.

8. I couldn't do a list of my 10 favourite things without mentioning the Thai chicken curry from Andiamo. I have been ordering it since 1994 and lodged a complaint when they tried to take it off the menu seven years ago. We have a lot of wealthy international guests staying here and when they try it on my recommendation, they swear it's the best they've had in the world. It's best eaten with fries and aioli and the green beans with macadamia nuts.

9. My friends and family know that I'm very fussy when it comes to food and drinks. However, if I had to choose between a fine glass of wine or an adventurous cocktail, the cocktail wins every time. My favourite is a passionfruit mojito, which I discovered three years ago when I started work at Mollies. Our head barman at the time was from Peru and it was his signature drink, but he didn't make it with passionfruit. I discovered the passionfruit version at SPQR and nothing has matched it yet.

10. Last but not least is Mollies - the style, quirkiness, elegance and sophistication that nurtures not only myself but all those who experience it.