It always pleases me to hear about my favourite eateries and bars getting recognition they so richly deserved. A big virtual ‘high five’ for The Alchemist, who have scooped the ‘Best Bar’ at The Food and Travel Reader Awards 2016.
The team from The Alchemist bar and restaurant were in London last week at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall to collect this very cool award. The annual awards honour the best of the best in the worlds of food, drink and travel. The winners are chosen by the readers of Food and Travel Magazine.
The Alchemist was in esteemed company at the awards, featuring on the winners’ roll-call alongside illustrious institutions including London’s Claridge’s Hotel and Gidleigh Park in Devon.
The Alchemist is a cocktail bar and restaurant that celebrates molecular mixology, alchemy and craftsmanship. Drinks are served in all manner of vessels with theatre and panache with food served morning, noon and night.
The Alchemist has really pushed the boundaries when it came to cocktails and today their team of mixologists are renowned across the city. The Alchemist offers an impressive list of cocktails, mixing unexpected ingredients with unconventional equipment and remarkable craftsmanship which has led to the creation of cocktail concoctions worthy of a true alchemist.
The first Alchemist opened in Manchester’s Spinningfields in 2010. Today there are seven sites nationwide including; London, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. Later this year an eighth site will open in Alderley Edge (more information here), Cheshire and a stunning new build site is planned for a 2017 opening at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays.
Simon Potts, managing director of The Alchemist said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by the readers of Food and Travel magazine. We are proud to be up alongside such esteemed company on the list of winners.
“We have seen significant growth in recent months which has meant we have increased our presence nationwide. More people are getting to experience the cocktail creativity of The Alchemist.”
The company has been recognised as one of the fastest growing privately owned UK companies in the Sunday Times Fast-track survey (ranked 20th in 2014).
The brand has attracted an injection of private equity funding through Palatine Private Equity alongside associated banking facilities from Santander which have put in place the necessary funding to expand the business significantly over the next few years. The company has projected turnover of £21million for this financial year and employs over 350 people.
Have you been to one of The Alchemists’ around the country? I’d love to hear what you thought about it.
RAxx