Case Study
Practical Magic
How one chain has alchemized table top trickery and the science of exceptional service into experiential dining gold
Established in 2010, The Alchemist is famed for its uniquely theatrical cocktail and casual dining proposition, combining ‘molecular mixology’ with best-in-class service, an eye for the inventive and a kooky aesthetic to concoct a winning formula. With 16 sites across the UK, and its eyes firmly fixed on international expansion, its magical approach to the guest experience continues to pay dividends – especially in the run-up to the festive season. Here, It’s On takes a look at how The Alchemist is shaking up the dining scene, and how it mixes a taste for the eccentric with the traditional feel of the festive period.
Spellbinding Service
Bewitching diners with food theatre
“A customer once described being served an Alchemist cocktail as ‘observing a magic show in a glass’, says Hannah Plumb, head of restaurants across the group, “and we took that idea and ran with it, from our front of house operation and bar, and through to our kitchen too.”
"A customer described our cocktails as a 'magic show in a glass'. We took that idea and ran with it."Hannah Plumb, The Alchemist
And Hannah is under no illusions that this eye for food theatre has more than paid off: “We’re averaging about 28,000 covers a week, and expect to see much more over Christmas!”.
Complete with science beakers, test tubes and tumblers, The Alchemist is a masterclass in experiential dining. Customers sip from glasses shrouded in zesty fruit and smoke, plated with a menu of global flavours on darkly glazed crockery. “We just like to do things a little differently!” Hannah enthuses.
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Tinsel and Techy
How digital drives The Alchemist’s Christmas campaign
Yet despite its dedication to all things different, The Alchemist isn’t one to sit out on the seasonal spirit. Between the classic Christmas decorations, crackers and a festive menu revamp, it’s mixed only the trendiest ingredients for its festive-themed ‘Operator’s cocktail’, and has embraced tech to boost its reach.
Using email and an interactive website – complete with a video urging eager Christmas diners to get their bookings sorted by the end of Summer – Hannah is clear in The Alchemist’s mission: the more tables they can confirm before the festivities begin, the better prepared they’ll be for the busy service to come.
Integral to this early preparation is restocking their signature glassware and crockery, which they begin buying almost weekly after September. But the festival focus also falls heavily on The Alchemist’s staff themselves, with a period of stringent training kicking off the Christmas preparations.
Shop now >"Without strong training, communication and commitment, we’d never achieve The Alchemist vision."
Hannah Plumb, The Alchemist
No Train, No Gain
How clued-up staff are the key to exceptional service
Nothing is more important to Hannah than the experience of service, and the people that make it possible. “We believe that happy staff make happy customers,” she insists, “without strong training, communication and commitment, we’d never achieve The Alchemist vision.”
"We believe that happy staff make happy customers."
During the seasonal rush this is especially true. Cultivating a strong, competitive relationship in a team means they’re ready for whatever the service brings. Regular, invaluable training keeps performance at an expert level, and with it the winning front-of-house experience that has seen The Alchemist turn the elements of a great dining experience into a winning formula.
Shop now >Shake it up
A few simple flourishes are all it takes to capture the Christmas spirit
Fixing up for the festive menu should not have to mean disrupting a popular service. A simple “twist and tweak” can help alleviate seasonal stress and tell a new story with the same staple crowd-pleasers. Adding little details, seasonal shake-ups and signage to an inventory has proven to be a far more effective way of creating a fresh experience that both regular and new customers will enjoy.
This could involve something as simple as tweaking your tableware, shaking up your back bar with new cocktail kit, or freshening up your front of house with new furniture. Or it could mean simply putting a festive twist on your drinks menu, putting a seasonal spin on a classic cocktail or plating up a dish just a little differently to tie it into the festivities. Cheers to that.
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