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This week we caught up with Aman Lakhiani – Executive Chef and Co-founder of Junsei. Can you tell us what inspired you to become a chef and your journey in becoming a chef? Ever since I was young, I loved going out to eat. Growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia there is food on every corner, dim sum carts, fried rice and satay stalls would stop by houses throughout the day to feed all the locals. My family loved eating as well, during gatherings or holidays we would always go out together to try new restaurants, travel to other countries and eat new food. Watching chefs on TV also inspired me that cooking could be doable, and even though the first few items failed, I just found it incredibly fun. The more I cooked for my friends and family the more I loved it. Then I started staging at a few restaurants in Jakarta and before I knew it, I was studying culinary arts at Johnson & Wales in Providence, RI and then working at restaurants in Barcelona and Bali. For those who haven’t eaten your incredible food at Junsei, how would you describe it, and what dishes can guests find on the menu? Junsei is an elegant yakitoriya situated on Marylebone’s Seymour Place, specialising in all things skewered whilst championing a zero-waste ethos. At Junsei, we shine a spotlight on yakitori (meaning ‘grilled bird’), and use every part of the animal, but also offer kushiyaki vegetable skewers, elevated donabe (rice) bowls and seasonal Japanese hot plates. Expect innovative, soulful, and challenging dishes which feature modern twists on timeless classics and utilise authentic Japanese techniques like delicately grilling dishes over Binchōtan – a white charcoal using Japanese oak – which is considered the purest charcoal in the world. Do you have any culinary heroes? Honestly there are so many. David Chang, Fergus Henderson and Albert Adria just to name a few. They all have changed the culinary landscape we now dine in. From their different concepts to the way they grew their restaurants, each of these chefs have changed the trajectory of dishes for years to come. Best piece of advice you have been given? The best advice I have received is to believe in myself. To stay strong and work hard is difficult in the chef business because it’s so emotional. Your heart is on each and every plate and when people don’t like it, it can be painful. But everyone has different opinions so it’s important to believe in what you are doing and to stay strong and true to yourself. Are you working on anything new, that you can spill the beans on? I am always cooking Indonesian food and do hope to bring that to London one day. But besides that, Junsei is working on doing a delivery and takeaway menu. So stay tuned… If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? I love going to a good match, watching a good fixture at Emirates, Stamford bridge or White Hart Lane is great fun. The energy is electric. Especially when the home team wins, all the restaurants and bars around the area are a romp. For more information on Junsei or to book a table visit: https://junsei.co.uk Photography courtesy of Junsei #chefAmanLakhiani #Junsei

This week we caught up with Chef Dayashankar Sharma, to find out where his early inspiration came from and why he loves cooking at Heritage Dulwich. Can you tell us what inspired you to become a chef and your journey in becoming a chef? From an early age I always loved watching my mum cook for the family in our home, and almost all families in India make every meal from scratch, from breakfast to dinner, so there was plenty to see. For me, this was where my early inspiration came from. For those who haven’t eaten your incredible food at Heritage Dulwich, how would you describe it, and what dishes can guests find on the menu? The menu at Heritage will take you on a culinary journey. At Heritage, we pay homage to the diverse culinary culture of India, with our menu featuring very old, traditional dishes such as Badal Jam which comes from the Awadh Region in India, which was developed in the royal kitchens. I have reimagined this dish and put my own unique twist on it by recreating it with venison. Our menu also features the classic Murgh Makhani – a butter chicken with flavours of Delhi. What is the winning dish on the Heritage Dulwich menu, that every guest should try? All the dishes have been carefully crafted and evenly balanced but If I have to pick one that would be our Heritage Lamb Chops marinated in raw papaya. Do you have any culinary heroes? For me, Chef Satish Arora, the highly acclaimed chef in India and around the world is my culinary hero. Are you working on anything new, that you can spill the beans on? We are working on our new Home Dining Concept “Jhakaas” which translates to being “fantastic” in English. It will be launching later this autumn so watch this space! What is the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring Chef? One piece of advice I would give is, don’t count the hours in the kitchen but make the hours count. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? When I have a rare day off, I spend it exploring London with my wife. We love exploring food markets and Borough market is one of our favourites. We begin there for brunch and later take a bus to Oxford Street. My wife loves shopping and after browsing through many outlets we head down to Chinatown slowly for a good roast duck in the evening and finally head home. #ChefDayashankarSharma #HeritageDulwich #indianchef #indianfood

This week we caught up with Fashion Designer Sasha Starlight, to talk about sustainability and her latest collection. When did you realise you wanted to be a fashion designer? I’ve loved clothes for as long as I can remember but I took a slightly unconventional route into designing them. After school, I studied Fine Art Painting at the Glasgow School of Art and later went on to run my own gallery and artist studio space. I was starting to feel a bit limited by painting as a medium and in need of a new challenge – if I’m honest it was on a bit of a whim that I decided to move to London to take on a Savile Row tailoring apprenticeship but I’m so glad I did and I haven’t looked back! This led me into working not only in tailoring but later in women’s couture and pattern cutting where I really honed my skills before setting up a label of my own. My design is always rooted in the craft of making, in the hang of the cloth and the beauty of a simple but precise cut. Can you tell our readers who have never heard of Sasha Starlight, a bit more about your brand? Sasha Starlight is all about the uplifting power of self-expression. I make bold but wearable statement pieces that empower women to banish the beige & embrace their most spectacular selves in their everyday lives. Beige for me is more of a state of mind than a colour. Beige thinking – ageism, sexism, stereotypes…. things that put us in a box and limit our potential. It’s really important to me the shapes flatter women of all ages and body types. We have this really narrow view of women presented to us most of the time, especially as we get older and I really want to turn that on its head. My aim is to make clothes that are colourful and playful but still feel ‘grown-up’ – glamorous, elegant shapes that make you feel sexy and confident without flashing a load of skin. I often think of the Maya Angelou quote “be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud” and I think it’s so true. When we let ourselves shine brightly we give others permission to shine too and that’s really what it’s all about for me. A ripple effect of fabulous women throwing out the rule book and inspiring others to do the same! Clothes have such a huge impact on our mindset and these are clothes designed for living boldly and being the inspiration you want to see. We are in love with your new collection, where did the inspiration come from? I went back to basics a bit with this collection, I wanted to create just a few core shapes that had a timeless feel to them – simple, versatile and elegant. I’ve been experimenting with digital painting recently and the idea of clothing as canvas really excites me – there are so many possibilities! I created a new method of working where I scan the garment patterns to create digital canvases I can paint into directly. I let myself really flow with the new process and where it would take me and so many of my longtime inspirations wove themselves in along the way – a real mix from Bowie to Bauhaus! We love the personalised messages found in the jackets and trousers you make, can you tell us where this idea came from? Before designing the collection I looked at the pieces in my own wardrobe that have stood the test of time – the ones that have survived any clearout or style change. I’d been thinking a lot about sustainability and the importance of any new garment having true longevity – a piece that is loved, cherished and stays with you forever. For me the pieces that stand the test of time aren’t the ‘jeans that go with everything’ or ‘simple classics’, it’s the pieces that have meaning to me, that feel special in some way or are full of beautiful memories. That’s the feeling I want to create with the personalised messages – a special relationship between the garment and the wearer that’s unique just to them. My dream is that these will be pieces that are treasured for a lifetime and maybe even one day passed down to a loved one. The jacket with your own quote the grandkids fight over and the stories they love to hear you tell about it, eager to add their own to the legacy. That idea of self-expression, memory and meaning is perfect fashion to me. Is there anything you are currently working on which you can spill the beans on? I love the concept of fashion as a dialogue we each add to and creating new spaces for self-expression. Behind the scenes I’m always working on ways to push the personalisation of my pieces even further and I’m like a kid in a candy shop with new tech! I’m fascinated with digital fashion at the moment and have been looking into options to offer virtual versions of my designs which is really exciting. Best piece of advice you would give to someone starting out as a fashion designer? Learn how to make clothes! It sounds simple but when I was working as a freelance pattern cutter it amazed me the number of designers that didn’t have a basic grasp on how a garment fits together, how different cloths drape and move, how to create shapes that flatter the body rather than fight it. Often the technical side seems to be neglected for hindering the ‘creative’ side which just seems crazy to me – the two go hand in hand. In my experience the more technical knowledge you have the better your designs will be, even if it’s to subvert that knowledge into something different. I always have my best ideas when I’m learning something new. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? It’s always got to be the V&A for me. Their fashion exhibits are so well thought out and I love that they switch up what’s on show from their permanent collections so there’s always something new to inspire you. To get there I’d make a real day of it by taking the river bus along the Thames from Canary Wharf to Battersea then walking up through Chelsea, it’s so much fun seeing London from the river! After if I’m treating myself I’d head to the nearby Polish restaurant Ognisko for dinner – the food there is incredible! Last time I had a cold cherry soup with hand-pulled noodles and their vodka cocktails are to die for. View Sasha Starlight’s new collection here: https://sashastarlight.com Photography by Nyla Sammons #colourful #fashiondesigner #Sashastarlight

This week we caught up with Executive Chef Mario Mastrangelo of Happy Face Pizza to talk about his journey in becoming a chef, why he loves working at Happy Face Pizza and why Massimo Bottura is one of his all-time heroes. Where did your love for making pizza come from? And can you tell us about your journey in becoming a chef? I was born in Salerno – a town just outside Naples in Southern Italy – and from a young age, I was really interested in food and cooking. When I was 14, I started working in local pizzerias, before heading to Venice to study at the acclaimed Accademia Pizzaioli where I became a Master of Pizza Training. I moved to the UK in 2013 and then spent a year at the famous PizzAperta Manfredi in Sydney. I returned to London as Head Chef at Radio Alice and after a short stint at Piccolino, joined the team at Happy Face Pizza as Executive Chef, where I play a key role in menu development and chef training. When did you join Happy Face Pizza and what makes the pizza exceptional there? I really loved the team – the founders Dom and Paul had a fantastic vision for the brand – a fresh take on a classic offer – and the menu remains totally authentic – a real love letter to Italian food. It’s great to see Happy Face Pizza expanding with a few new openings in the pipeline, can you tell us some more? Our ambition is to grow the business across the UK and even further. We’ve just opened in Eccleston Yards by Victoria station and it felt like the perfect place for our second location. Next month we’re opening near Brent Cross and we’d like to open another couple of restaurants this year, which is exciting Do you have any culinary heroes? Massimo Bottura is definitely one of my all-time heroes. He’s an Italian restaurateur and chef-patron of Osteria Francescana, a three-Michelin-star restaurant in Moderna. When he opened his first restaurant he received really bad reviews from the critics, but by believing in what he was doing he became one of the world’s best chefs and his restaurant has been in the top 5 in the world for the last decade. What advice would you give someone who is training to be a chef? Being a chef is not a job but a lifestyle choice. Work hard, enjoy working under pressure, be curious and love food. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? Definitely a food-based experience around different types of cuisines in the city. For more information on Happy Face Pizza visit: https://happyface.pizza Photography by Nyla Sammons #ChefMarioMastrangelo #happyfacepizza #pizza

This week we caught up with Potter Paul Rowbottom to talk about his love for pottery, his commissions and the pottery classes he teaches. Where did your love for pottery come from? I have always been drawn to the hand-made, pulling things apart and trying to put things back together; not always successfully. My first experience of working with clay was during sculpture evening classes at Harrow Art School. While studying sculpture at Leicester Polytechnic I became fascinated with the possibilities of ceramics & glass. Many years of teaching ceramics have developed a deep appreciation of pottery traditions and material culture from around the world. Using hand-made pottery, daily, is a great pleasure and connects us to an ancient heritage. There are many ceramic collections around London to enjoy, further afield a stand-out collection can be found at the Heraklion museum in Crete, this museum is full of exquisite Minoan pottery, it’s a wonderful place to encounter our ceramic heritage. I can recommend a visit to No 2 Temple Place to see the current exhibition ‘Body Vessel Clay’ until 24 April 2022 We met you at Birch when we joined a pottery class, can you tell our readers a little more information on the classes you teach at the Birch? I am fortunate to work with guests and members at the Birch. Classes are tailored generally to participants with little or no previous experience. We introduce guests to hand-building processes such as soft slab construction, coiling and pinch pots. There is an opportunity to decorate pots with coloured clay paints and a limited choice of glazes. Feedback from guests is positive and enthusiastic. We have introduced wheel-thrown pottery sessions recently that have been well attended. A remarkable aspect of this type of class is how unique the dynamic is between each class and a common factor is the joy, fun and sense of exploration this activity generates. Classes are popular with families and friends and corporate visitors have enjoyed the benefits of getting their hands stuck into clay as part of team-building sessions. All completed work is fired and sent home as a lasting souvenir! Do you teach pottery anywhere else? I teach a small number of hours at the University of Hertfordshire. Luke Fuller & I are starting ‘Clay Makers’; pop up’ – pottery classes around Hertfordshire. We will be sharing our clay-making experience with our neighbourhood community. Are you working on any commissions at the moment? Apart from ‘ Clay Makers’, I am progressing a project, started before lockdown, that hopefully will result in a large-scale glass sculpture. Best piece of advice you have been given? I have received lots of good advice but not always listened; ‘If you want to earn a dollar you must climb a tree and holla!’ ‘Prepare the ground; even though it may never rain…….’ ‘Give Tone to Form and Form to Tone’ The edict to ‘follow your heart’ is probably the advice I would pass on If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? This question brings a sense of nostalgia for the London that no longer exists, and the London that I have enjoyed ‘all that London has to offer’ with family and friends. I remember hand-made clothes shops and affordable tailoring, The Rosslyn Arms, Marine Ices, the Bull & Gate, Kentish Town, where one could enjoy great live music and possibly the best pint of Guinness in town! The Roundhouse is now a thriving creative hub at the centre of London’s cultural life, which is very exciting to see, following many challenging years to fulfill the obvious potential of the place. My fantasy free day in London would start with a walk in any London Park or across the Heath, meeting with friends at a gallery or museum, a matinee at the Globe theatre or a film at the French Institute, then supper at the Chelsea Arts Club, followed by a walk along the South Bank to the Angel Pub at Rotherhithe for last orders. Gazing at a full moon above Tower Bridge and thinking about generations who have passed along the river throughout time and continues too; the river itself becomes a metaphor for many aspects of London life & history. To find out more information on Paul visit https://www.paulrowbottom.com To find out more information on pottery classes with Paul at the Birch visit: https://www.birchcommunity.com Photography by Nyla Sammons #birch #paulrowbottom #pottery

This week we caught up with Jean Madden CMO at TiNDLE to talk about what’s great about TiNDLE, challenges encountered in the early development phase and what TiNDLE are planning this year. Can you tell us a little more about TiNDLE and what made you join Next Gen Foods? TiNDLE is the first brand from Next Gen Foods, which is a two-year-old startup that’s creating delicious and satisfying foods that are made from plants. TiNDLE is a delicious, sustainable, and highly versatile chicken – that was developed with chefs and for chefs. It is made from nine simple ingredients, all sourced from plants, crafted with non-GMO ingredients and none of the downsides typically associated with chicken from birds – such as cholesterol, antibiotics, or hormones. Our flagship product, TiNDLE, has grown from being served in several restaurants in Singapore (in March of last year) to now over 200 restaurants around the globe – in some of the most food-loving destinations including Hong Kong, Dubai and Amsterdam (and soon to be some of the top foodie destinations in the U.S.). Additionally, it can be used across a variety of cooking applications and cuisines. From street food to Michelin Starred fine dining, we’ve seen that TiNDLE has inspired chefs to create incredible dishes across our current markets in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East so far. I joined Next Gen Foods in 2020, after spending over 12 years of my career helping to shape and grow other fast-moving consumer goods companies, including L’Oréal and Unilever. Next to a general love for food – and a long-standing inspiration by the overall passion of chefs – I was really drawn to the company’s mission of deliciously reversing climate change. On a personal level, I’m a mother to two young daughters and want to ensure that they’re able to experience this glorious planet as they get older. Did you encounter any big challenges when TiNDLE launched? One of the challenges that we faced early in the development phase was ensuring that TiNDLE could not only excite professional chefs but also truly perform in terms of taste, cookability, and quality. Of course, chefs are the toughest critics – and we had to make sure they loved TiNDLE from the start! So, rather than producing a final product and then getting input from chefs and restaurant operators later on, we looked to involve them much earlier in the process. This led to some great relationships with chefs in Singapore, where we launched in March 2021, and we were able to see how TiNDLE performed in their actual kitchens and in some of their most creative and delicious recipes. Immediately following our launch in Singapore, demand for TiNDLE grew around the world and we heard from chefs and consumers who wanted to bring it to their cities. Since then, we’ve debuted TiNDLE in 8 cities in under 8 months – all during the height of COVID and without the convenience and ability to travel widely. Despite that, we were able to create the building blocks for a global (and remote) company. What are some of the most creative dishes made using TiNDLE? The amazing thing about TiNDLE is its unique versatility in terms of texture and chew. Chefs love TiNDLE not only because of its flavor (which chefs say is equivalent to the umami of chicken), but also because how creative they’re able to be with it in its raw form. TiNDLE has the fatty chicken aroma that you get from dark meat, but also the lean quality that people love about white meat. We’ve seen some truly outstanding creations from chefs in the past 12 months. Some of the best applications I’ve witnessed are TiNDLE waffles, noodles, and sushi. Personally, I have so many favorite dishes, but a few stand-out dishes are Chef Mural’s butter TiNDLE pot pie at ADDA in Singapore, Chef Rocco DiSpirito’s TiNDLE parm sliders (who offered these as a sneak preview in the U.S. before our launch there), and as a TiNDLE-Toban-Yaki at Akira Back’s restaurant in Dubai. Is there anything you are currently working on which you can spill the beans on? Last November, we officially launched TiNDLE in Amsterdam. The Netherlands is home to our manufacturing facility, and it was great to finally bring TiNDLE to Amsterdam – starting with six amazing restaurants. This year, we’re continuing to expand around the globe – with the United States coming up next. In the US, we plan to partner with popular chicken joints and chefs in top dining destinations and food-loving cities, so look out for where to find TiNDLE across America. Best piece of advice you have been given? A dear mentor of mine shared this piece of advice: “It’s okay to fail, it’s not okay not to try.” It’s a saying that I live by every day. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? With a free day in London, I’d start first with a visit to Borough Market and sample a bit of everything. After grabbing some fuel for the day, I’d head out to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum – and take in some stunning nature photography. Then, I’d head out through Hyde Park or South Bank for an afternoon stroll. Finally, to top off the day, I’d find a nice, lively restaurant for dinner, maybe checking out a new eatery with friends. Website: https://tindle.com Photography courtesy of TiNDLE #meatfree #tindle

This week we caught up with Ellie Web, Founder of Caleño to talk about bringing joy to not drinking, how Caleño first came about and much more! Can you tell us a little about Caleño and how it stands apart from other non-alcoholic brands? Caleño is a range of non-alcoholic tropical spirits with a mission to “bring joy to not drinking.” The range comes in two delicious flavours; Light & Zesty, which is a great gin alternative, and Dark & Spicy, a delicious rum alternative, and is available in national retailers including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, M&S and Ocado. We have also just launched a podcast – ‘The Joyful Drinker”, exploring the myths and stigma around our drinking habits. Where did the idea to create Caleño come from? The idea came to me while I was out with friends during Dry Jan a few years ago and I wanted to have fun even though I wasn’t drinking alcohol, but I found the non-alcoholic options available to me that evening so uninspiring! I worked on my idea for two years alongside my day job, experimenting in my kitchen with different tropical botanicals and travelling to my mum’s homeland of Colombia for inspiration, before I decided to launch my brand. It was scary but also really exciting! I knew this was the right thing for me to do. We love how colourful and playful the brand is, where did this idea come from? From the very beginning, I knew I wanted this drink to be different, but always fun, colourful and vibrant. I even sketched out a bottle once which was all of those things. I guess that was just my way of thinking, and then when I went back to Colombia, after having not visited for a while, I fell in love with the country again, and everything became so much clearer. I had to inject lots of colour and vibrancy into the bottle and I needed to find some unique tropical flavours to help make Caleño one of a kind. Is there anything exciting you are currently working on? There is so much more I want to do. Further develop the Caleño brand of course and also become an advocate for balanced drinking, which is why I’m launching my “Joyful Drinker” podcast this March, where I’ll be interviewing various guests and experts to help and inspire people to take a balanced approach to drinking. I don’t advocate total sobriety, because I’m the first to enjoy a nice alcoholic cocktail while on a night out with friends, but I do believe there can be huge societal pressure to drink alcohol and for me it’s all about having choices and making the right decisions for you. So this is something I’m keen to focus on. Best piece of advice you have been given? I have a mentor who gives me great advice, including ‘fail fast, learn from it quickly and move on’. I think it’s important that you’re not afraid of failure; things will go wrong, they always do, and you learn from them, which makes you stronger and better at what you do. Remember, it’s not the end of the world. I was always hugely inspired by podcasts, especially shows that interviewed entrepreneurs. Hearing those real-life stories of everyday people who had started something and made it grow into a fully-fledged company is always massively inspiring. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? I’d start the morning along the Kings Road, for breakfast and coffee at the Bluebird Chelsea, then I’d hop over to The Prince for an early afternoon Caleño Cocktail, then head to Jungle Rumble (In Putney) with some friends for a bit of crazy golf. We’d then finish the evening with some Mediterranean goodness at Megan’s who also serve delicious Caleño cocktails! Website: https://calenodrinks.com Photography courtesy of Caleño #alcoholfree #Caleño #Elliewebb #nonalcohlic

This week we spoke with Ella Harland & Sophie McGregor, Founders of Griddle, to talk about why they started Griddle, who their dream collaboration would be and much more. Can you tell us a little about Griddle? Griddle is a frozen baked goods brand, on a mission to make bakery fit for the modern consumer. We’re making delicious bakery products more convenient, better-for-you, and better for our planet, with a big focus on reducing food waste which traditional bakery is notoriously bad for. Our initial range of products are our toaster waffles which can be found in the freezers at Morrisons, Ocado, Whole Foods and Dunnes Stores (for any Irish readers). Where did the idea to create Griddle come from? (Ella) Sophie and I met when I was looking for a room to rent in London after university and found a room available on Spareroom.com in the flat that Sophie was in. We hit it off straight away with a shared love of all things food, and in particular our love of brunch! We would often cook up a big stack of pancakes and waffles on a Saturday morning with friends, ready to top with whatever we fancied. It was this that led us to look in the supermarkets and realise there really were no decent pre-made options available that tasted great, and weren’t full of sugar or chemical preservatives and flavours. It took us a while to take the plunge and begin working full time on the business but it meant we really took our time to do the market research and see if there truly was a place in the market for our products. Is there anything exciting you are currently working on? (Ella) We’ve got some new products coming out this year and also a new supermarket coming in September! We can’t say too much more on the latter, but on the product development side of things we are working on some recipes to expand our product range with an extra thick and fluffy dessert-style waffle, and also some other frozen morning goods. Would there be a dream collaboration for the brand? (Sophie) Someone we’ve always admired and definitely shares a number of our values surrounding maintaining a healthy lifestyle whilst keeping it fun is Joe Wicks, so a collaboration with him would be epic. I imagine he’d probably launch the waffles into the toaster from across the room similarly to how he does a lot of his Instagram food videos! Best piece of advice you have been given? (Sophie) ‘‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’, although this is definitely easier said than done! I try to apply this to all areas of my life, but in business, especially the start-up world, this is particularly relevant. Things go wrong all the time, and if we stressed over every small thing going wrong we would never make any progress! If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? (Ella) We’re both so fortunate to live in London, which is such a diverse city, with so many fun things to do, see, eat and drink! We both love running and so given that the weather is so nice at the moment I think we’d probably begin our day with a run along the river. One of our favorite routes, and one which we used to do a lot whilst living together, is from Pimlico down the Thames path, running past the Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Oxo Tower, over Blackfriars bridge, and ending up in Borough Market for a bite to eat! Afterward, we’d wander over to the Tate Modern. It’s always bustling by the south bank and the Tate often has some great exhibitions on! To learn more about Griddle visit: https://wearegriddle.com Photography courtesy of Griddle #griddle #waffles

This week we caught up with Dafna Ciechanover Bonas, Founder of Indie Bay Snacks. Can you tell us a little about Indie Bay Snacks? In health, as with anything in life, you get out what you put in. It’s about nourishing the body, not starving it. I created Indie Bay to capture that spirit – as well as to finally have amazing, delicious and satisfying snacks that are actually good for you.  Don’t we all want a perfect alternative to crisps? Our Pretzel Thins and Bites are naturally low in calories, low in fat, and packed with protein – nothing taken away, just good stuff crammed in via the magic of spelt. Here’s to enjoying more of the good stuff, no? What inspired you to create Indie Bay Snacks? I’m a mother of three, a runner and a California girl at heart.  I started Indie Bay to change snacking habits and to offer happier and healthier options for my family and people like us who care about what they put in their body, and care about what it tastes like. We shouldn’t have to choose and we shouldn’t have to compromise. Is there anything exciting you are currently working on? We love feedback from our Indies – our amazing, supportive active community – and are always evolving our lines and flavours in response. People want to buy more than just 1 pack of Indie Bay per supermarket shop (who can blame them!), so we have listened to the snackers and we are creating something extremely exciting: Indie Bay multipacks and sharing bags. Watch this space! Best piece of advice you have been given? Managing a hyper-growth business while raising three kids and two dogs isn’t easy, I won’t lie.  Indie Bay has achieved 80% YOY growth or more consistently, and this year looks to exceed that number. Bill Sahlman, my entrepreneurship professor at HBS, said “it takes as much work to build a small business as a big one, so you may as well dream big”. I loved that and can confirm that it does indeed take so much work…so I’ve never stopped dreaming big. What would your ideal day in London be like? I am an immigrant to this country and an adopted Londoner – I literally cannot imagine a better place to live! I love the fact that the city offers everything, from gorgeous parks to incredible museums, theatre and dance, the best restaurants and an endless flow of brilliant creators from across the UK and the world. It truly is the home of innovation without sacrificing quality of life.  My dream free day would start with a walk with my family and the dogs in the park, lead into time at Tate Britain, The National Gallery or the Hayward for some art, then dinner out by the Thames at my favourite River Café with the beloved Ruthie Rogers with friends, and then end it with a play at The Bridge theatre by Tower Bridge. Heavenly. For more information on Indie Bay Snacks visit: www.indiebaysnacks.com #DafnaCiechanoverBonas #healthysnacks #indiebaysnacks #interview

This week we caught up with Jordan Palmer and Matt Mahatme, Co-Founders of Lixir Drinks, to talk about the inspiration behind the brand, what they are currently working on and who their dream collaboration would be. Can you tell us a little about Lixir Drinks and how it stands apart from other flavoured tonic waters and mixers? Lixir Drinks is an award-winning premium tonic and mixer brand that we launched in 2018 through a successful crowd funding campaign. We set out with the mission to shake up the mixer industry and bring a sense of fun and enjoyment to the category as well as appeal to a younger audience. We spent a year developing the perfect balance with a focus on natural ingredients as we were committed to providing a healthier mixer to the range, paying special attention to the ingredients we were using. For example, quinine is an essential flavour profile in tonic but it’s often way too bitter, so we decided to create all of our tonics with less quinine for a more balanced taste. There are currently nine mixers in the Lixir Drinks range, including five tonic waters. Lixir is now stocked in bars and restaurants across the UK including Boxpark, where it is the house mixer and internationally. The company is also certified as a carbon-neutral business by Planet Mark, which we are really proud of. Where did the idea to create Lixir Drink come from? Like most good stories, the idea for Lixir Drinks was born on a night out. Whilst working together in a bar in Newcastle (where we both studied at university), we noticed the popularity of flavoured spirits, as well as health-conscious drinkers. As two young students watching our pennies, we had a lightbulb moment that it would make more sense to have a range of flavoured mixers rather than a shelf full of expensive flavoured spirits. Furthermore, there seemed to be something missing – there wasn’t a mixer brand that spoke to a younger audience, and everything in the category seemed very vanilla. Once we had the idea, we then had to make it a reality, so we set out to provide the world with something fresh, natural and unique and got to work experimenting with different levels of quinine and flavour combinations in our kitchen. We want Lixir to be the mixer that makes good times more special and looks as good as it tastes. Long term – our goal is for Lixir to be the most loved mixer brand. Is there anything exciting you are currently working on? This feels like the first summer for a few years where things are almost back to ‘normal’ for the trade, so we’ve lined up a killer run of festivals and events where we’ll be taking our Lixir VW bar to serve G&Ts to the masses. We’ve also just closed an important funding round that will enable us to continue to grow the team and get Lixir in front of as many new consumers as possible. Would there be a dream collaboration for the brand? There are so many brilliant spirits brands out there and new ones launching every day, many of which we are fortunate to work with thanks to our range that mixes well with pretty much everything. But the ultimate collab for us would be with someone like Emily Atack who really embodies what we are all about – having fun, not taking yourself too seriously and spending time with your mates. If you’re reading this Emily, give us a call! Best piece of advice you have been given? Jordan: I’ve been fortunate to receive quite a lot of good advice from good people (that’s been some great advice in itself – surround yourself with good people!). But the first rule in Jordans Petersons’ 12 Rules of Life, “Stand Up Straight With Your Shoulders Back” always sticks with me whenever I’m in a challenging situation (both in work and personally). I guess the phrase will have a slightly different meaning to everyone, but it reminds me to stay strong, composed and to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. What would your ideal day in London be like? Matt: There are so many great days out in this city but if I had to pick one it would probably be with a bit of a tour of all my favourite venues – start out with brunch at Serata Hall, then head to Pergola for an afternoon of summer spritzes and ending up at Flight Club for some competitive fun with my mates. To view the full range of Lixir drinks visit: https://lixirdrinks.co.uk Photography courtesy of Lixir Drinks #JordanPalmer #MattMahatme #lixirdrinks #sodawater #tonicwater

This week we caught up with Paul Mathew – Founder of Everleaf, to talk about his inspiration behind the brand, what it’s like to be the non-alcoholic sponsor for Pub In The Park and much more. Non-alcoholic aperitifs have really taken off in recent years, can you tell us how Everleaf stands apart from other non-alcoholic aperitifs? There has been a huge demand for great tasting and high quality non-alcoholic and low alcoholic drinks brands over the last few years with people embracing moderation when socialising. In the case of aperitifs, they’re perfectly suited to this, with bitterness being something that can deliver all those adult flavours without the need for alcohol as a solvent. For me, what sets Everleaf apart from other non-alcoholic aperitifs, is that connection to the natural world, transporting you to our Forest/Mountain/Marine biomes and telling the stories of those plants. There’s depth and complexity behind the flavour. The second part is that we’re not trying to copy an existing alcoholic product. We are pushing the flavour boundaries a little more, providing something that doesn’t already exist as an alcoholic equivalent (fermented cherry blossom in Mountain and all the seaweed umami in Marine for example). I think this is why we’re seeing a lot of bartenders using them in low and even full-strength abv cocktails too – they’re not just for the non-alcoholic audience. We would love to know how the idea of Everleaf came about? I grew up as the son of a botanist with my own career in conservation biology too. I have spent a lot of my life surrounded by plants and looking at people’s interactions with them. Initially, I was a biologist who bartended, but one overtook the other, and I became a bartender with a passion for using plants to bring flavour. I have three bars in London, and we were increasingly seeing more and more customers wanting no and low alcohol drinks, so I put my unusual skill set to work to create Everleaf – complex and vibrant and nature’s answer to the best non-alcoholic aperitifs (ones which would match the best alcoholic drinks we had behind the bar). It took over a year of experimentation to develop Everleaf, from researching plants, dehydrating ingredients, macerating and extracting, through to finding sustainable sources before I had what I wanted. The texture of the drink was the challenge – mouthfeel and viscosity is an unseen part of what makes a drink great; however, I was able to find solutions from the natural world, with answers coming from both the land and sea in the form of acacia and seaweed. I launched Everleaf in January 2019 with Forest, the original expression, followed by Marine and Mountain. Where do you make Everleaf? The ingredients for Everleaf come from all over the world, sourced sustainably and then get put together near Brighton. We’re not distillers with a shiny copper still – some ingredients are distilled for us, others are unglamorously macerated in buckets, while others are steam distilled where they’re grown (for example vetiver in Haiti). We’re blenders more than distillers, and the process is I guess more akin to perfumery than gin distillation – or more like bartending really – mixing flavours to get something that’s more than the sum of the parts. Every step we take we’re always learning, tweaking the recipes and evolving Everleaf. Are you working on anything currently exciting? Any new collaborations? Everleaf recently launched its signature serve, the Everleaf Spritz, in a 250ml slimline – in the three signature expressions – Forest, Marine and Mountain – so you can now enjoy Everleaf on the go as well as at home. We’re also really proud to be the non-alc sponsor for Pub In The Park this year which has been amazing so far – so many collaborations with chefs, pairing our spritzes with their food. The one with Cue Point at Pub in the Park Marlow was incredible – I could have eaten/drunk that combination all day! (Everleaf Forest Spritz with Borani Kadoo – smoked and roasted pumpkin & squash, braised in aromatic spices with spiced yoghurt, mint and Afghan naan). Where do you like to go for a great cocktail / mocktail in London? London’s cocktail scene has so much variety and choice, we’re incredibly lucky – so there are almost endless options for a really amazing cocktail, with or without alcohol. However, I do often find myself sat at the bar in Tayēr + Elementary, as it is an amazing example of real creativity in the industry (plus they always have a non-alc “I’m not drinking…” option on draught at Elementary!). Naturally you’ll also find me in my bars where we (unsurprisingly) have a range of low and no drinks with Everleaf (not to mention plenty of other non-alc options). Other really notable non-alcs I’ve had recently include the new menu at The Savoy’s American Bar, the fact that you can get the whole Seed Library menu as alc or non-alc, and a personal favourite, the non-alc penicillin at Happiness Forgets! We also had a great Everleaf team evening at the Electric Shuffle recently – they have a great non-alc section so you can stay focused and competitive! If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? I’d start with a run. Running is my happy place where I get my thinking done, plus also a chance to make the most of London’s green spaces. Favourite routes include Hyde Park/Green Park loops, Richmond & Bushy Parks and the SW London towpath (Putney all the way to Kingston and back is a convenient Marathon distance for when there’s a lot of thinking to do!). I guess in a dream day, that’d be followed by a family trip to Kew Gardens; dad worked there for most of his career, so I’ve been going since I was very small and love to show my kids around now. It would have to wind up with some visits to bars, old and new, to see bartender friends and check out all the latest projects. I keep an open list of places I really want to check out and try to tick a few off whenever I get a chance. London’s drinks scene is always so dynamic and vibrant – someone is always doing something new, but particularly post-pandemic, there’s a lot of creativity being expressed. It feels like although the industry faces a lot of challenges at the moment, it’s also an exciting opportunity for change. For more information on Everleaf visit: https://www.everleafdrinks.com Photography courtesy of Everleaf #everleaf #nonalcohlic #paulmatthew

This week we caught up with Chef Scott Hallsworth. Can you tell us what inspired you to become a chef and your journey in becoming a chef? I used to chop vegetables in a Chinese restaurant kitchen when I was a teenager and I was so curious about how my chopped vegetables became a magical eastern treat. The woks, the sauces, the fire, the speed at which everyone worked – it was rock n’ roll and I liked it! For those who haven’t eaten your incredible food at Double Dragon, how would you describe it? Umami central! I guess that my dishes are heavily influenced by my Japanese cooking experiences but they have a very western aspect to them; most of the flavors are bolder than some of the fancier Japanese joints. Also, there’s a kind of playful aspect to it all; a sashimi ‘pizza’ – yeah, why not! Artichoke ‘chopsticks’ – you bet! What have been the favourite dishes? As usual, the wood-fired cabbage steals the limelight. But the Spicy tuna mochi toasts, nasu dengaku (miso-yaki aubergine) and chilli crab maki are also flying out. Do you have any culinary heroes? I reckon David Thompson is a brilliant chef and a top bloke. I’m looking forward to him re-opening in London soon! Pierre Gaignaire is a total legend too – he once bowed at me after I cooked for him at Nobu – maybe he just had a sore back. We may never know! What is the best piece of advice you would give to an aspiring Chef? If you really want to do this then be humble and observe and listen. Nobody cares what you saw on Instagram. If you had a free day in London to do what you want, where would you go? The Big Bus tour – I’ve heard it’s brilliant! For more information on Double Dragon visit: https://www.doubledragon.london Photography courtesy of Scott Hallsworth and Double Dragon #ChefScottHallsworth #doubledragon #japanesefood