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What is Rose Gleeson's background before owning Good Good?
Before owning Good Good, Rose Gleeson trained as a chef for two years at Otago Polytechnic and spent another two years working in the restaurant industry. She then transitioned into government roles at ACC, Dunedin City Council, and the Department of Conservation — and along the way represented New Zealand in synchronized figure skating at the 2009 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, and published a children's book.
Two years in kitchens, then a pivot into the public sector
Gleeson's earliest professional chapter was in hospitality. She completed a two-year chef training programme at Otago Polytechnic — during a period when minimum wage in the industry sat at NZ$13 per hour, with weeks sometimes stretching to 70 hours. She then worked a further two years in the restaurant industry before stepping away from the kitchen entirely.
From there, she moved into government. Her roles spanned ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation), Dunedin City Council, and the Department of Conservation (DOC). It's a trajectory that runs a long way from burger restaurants — which makes her eventual return to hospitality all the more deliberate. As she recounts in The Otago Opportunity, owning Good Good was never an accident: it was a long-held dream, finally acted on.
Synchronized skating in Zagreb, a children's book, and improv on stage
Gleeson's background extends well beyond food and government. She represented New Zealand in synchronized figure skating at the 2009 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia — where the New Zealand team finished 21st out of 21 competing teams. She has also written and published a children's book, and performed as part of an improv troupe.
These details matter because they frame who is actually running Good Good today. This is someone with formal culinary training, years of public sector experience, a competitive sporting history, and a creative practice — all running in parallel, as discussed openly in this episode of The Otago Opportunity. At the time of the interview, Gleeson was still holding down a full-time day job alongside managing the restaurant.
"We are pretty much just keeping the lights on at the moment. And that's 100% fine. I've come to terms with that. That's all it needs to do — it just needs to pay for itself and not make me bankrupt."
Rose Gleeson — Owner, Good Good (Vogel Street, Dunedin)
Gleeson trained as a chef at Otago Polytechnic and spent two years in the restaurant industry before moving into government roles at ACC, Dunedin City Council, and the Department of Conservation. She represented New Zealand in synchronized figure skating at the 2009 World Championships in Zagreb, has written a published children's book, and performed in an improv troupe. She purchased Good Good — her self-described favorite place in Dunedin — approximately one year before this interview, while continuing to hold a full-time day job. Her full story is explored in episode 16 of The Otago Opportunity.
What emerges from Gleeson's biography is a portrait of someone who came back to hospitality with open eyes — fully aware of what the industry demands, having lived it as a young chef working 70-hour weeks for NZ$13 an hour. Her government years gave her a different vantage point on how institutions work, which now informs how she thinks about the economic pressures documented in The Otago Opportunity.
See also
What is the economic situation facing Good Good and the Dunedin hospitality sector?
Rose Gleeson describes the restaurant as "pretty much just keeping the lights on," with all sales going toward wages, rent, insurance, licenses, and other operating costs — a picture of how hard the current economic climate is hitting Dunedin hospitality.
What were the biggest operational challenges Rose Gleeson faced after buying Good Good?
During the changeover, Gleeson accidentally signed up for another business's electricity account, causing Good Good's power to be cut off. She also faced a steep learning curve around licensing and compliance requirements for running a licensed premises.
How did Rose Gleeson come to own Good Good in Dunedin?
Rose Gleeson had always considered Good Good her favorite place in Dunedin and dreamed of running a burger restaurant. When she saw it was up for sale, she decided to take the leap herself rather than risk someone else changing what made it special.
Key takeaways
- Gleeson completed two years of chef training at Otago Polytechnic, followed by two years working in the restaurant industry — giving her genuine firsthand experience of hospitality before any ownership.
- She then spent years in government, working at ACC, Dunedin City Council, and the Department of Conservation, before returning to the food industry as a business owner.
- She represented New Zealand in synchronized figure skating at the 2009 World Championships in Zagreb — a competitive sporting background that sits alongside her culinary and public sector careers.
- At the time of the interview, Gleeson still holds a full-time day job alongside owning Good Good, a detail that underscores how personally, not commercially, driven the acquisition was.
This answer comes directly from episode 16 of The Otago Opportunity. Hear Rose Gleeson tell her full story in her own words.
Listen to the episode on Listenly