Alex's culinary career began when he made the seemingly unmotivated decision to do work experience at a restaurant while he was in Year 9 (14 years old).
After that, Alex wouldn't go back into the kitchen until after a year at college that he thoroughly disliked. Leaving college he found his way into the kitchen at Rish in York with Gavin Aitkenhead
With a new appreciation for the classical techniques, Alex moved on to Pool Court in Leeds. The kitchen served both a brasserie and a Michelin-starred restaurant at the same time. Which was quite the experience.
Image Credit: Alex Bond
At only 24, Alex had almost a decade of experience as a chef, and many of those years were in top restaurants. His next job would be at Restaurant Sat Bains. He worked there for two and a half years before moving on to his next role.
Moving to Auberge du Lac and then Wild Rabbit before opening Alchemilla.
Alchemilla occupies six red-brick arches of what was once a Victorian carriage house. Despite the classical or rustic look of the outside, the restaurant's interior is outfitted in a modern style, with an open kitchen.
Along with this, the restaurant has a living wall and a roof garden to set the mood for the wonderful cooking.
Image Credit: Alex Bond
Food Offering
Alchemilla runs tasting menus of 5, 7, or 10 courses which also come in vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan versions. Along with this, they will cater to most dietary requirements given 48 hours warning.
The restaurant describes itself as "veg-led" as it has a strong focus on the vegetables in a dish. In fact, many of the dishes are vegetarian or vegan (or can easily be made as such), but even those dishes that aren't vegetarian are still very much veg-focused.
The Michelin Guide describes the food offering by saying, "Head Chef Alex Bond has an admirable attitude towards finding ingredients which are both sustainable and ethically produced."
It also states that the dishes are full of "highly original combinations of flavours and textures" and that dishes "[bring] together sweet, sour, salty and citrus elements in wonderful harmony."
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