Alchemilla and Mollis founder Alex Bond talks about bringing Michelin star food to Nottingham

First impressions as you step down the stairs into Alchemilla are impressive. Beautiful exposed brick arches create a vaulted ceiling with natural light streaming down from multiple skylights. Moss-covered accent walls bring a natural softness to what could be a stark environment. It’s both rustic and refined and a fittingly unique backdrop for creative culinary experiences. 

Even for a chef with a wealth of experience in prestigious kitchens, there’s a huge risk involved with opening a restaurant. It takes a special kind of creative vision to transform a Victorian coach house which had lain empty and unloved for 150 years into one of the country’s most acclaimed eateries. Taking on an ambitious restoration project was a big gamble, especially without a big budget to back it up, but Alex plays it down in a charmingly self-deprecating, no-nonsense manner. 

“I just winged  my way through it. The one thing I know how to do is cook. I think that was always my thought process behind it, that if I can cook, we’ll work the rest out later. Touch wood, it’s done us alright and I love it. I don’t want to be anywhere else”. 

Within their first full year of operating, they’d been awarded a Michelin star and they currently have four AA Rosettes. We’d say the approach has done them more than ‘alright’.   

Foraged, fermented, pickled and preserved, veggies take centre stage on Alchemilla's innovative tasting menus which fuse traditional preservation methods with the best of British ingredients. Alex talks with an infectious enthusiasm about shoyu, koji and experimenting with ancient methods to make the absolute most of each season’s ingredients and eliminate as much food waste as feasibly possible. He’s passionate about dedicating the same care, creativity, time and attention to a humble chunk of celeriac as you would a hand-dived scallop or expensive cut of meat.

A seven course tasting menu will set you back £120, with optional wine pairing an additional £70, but they’ve recently adapted to add a new three course offering which is more affordable and accessible in a challenging financial climate. In May the menu, complete with their signature ‘snacks’ and homemade bread, for £65 per person on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. It’s proved so popular they’ve now extended its availability into June and added it to Friday and Saturday lunch services. 

Despite his many accolades, Alex is about as far removed from the stereotype of a pretentious chef as you can imagine. His food is elevated, but his restaurants are relaxed and Alex comes across as down to earth. Or as he puts it, “We take the food seriously but we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we just have fun with it.” 

Case in point: his second addition to Nottingham’s food scene, Mollis, which opened next door to Alchemilla in 2022. It’s a laid-back spot serving fried chicken, soft-serve ice cream and creative cocktails with a side of street art and a hip-hop soundtrack. Quizzed on his motivation for opening a venue so seemingly far removed from the world of fine dining and tasting menus, his answer is straightforward. “I love fried chicken, is the very simple answer. I just love it, it’s delicious”.  

Nottingham has no shortage of chicken joints serving up boring burgers and basic wings. At Mollis, a much-loved classic is elevated into something rather more special. Perfectly fried chicken becomes a vehicle for creative flavour combinations from across the globe and the same careful consideration of ingredients and cooking processes goes into everything Alex does:

“We only have one standard that runs across everything that we do. We don’t change that for anything. It’s the exact same care and the exact same love that runs through everything whether it’s brining chicken or our largest, most expensive tasting menu. That’s what sets us apart and the moment we stop doing that, that’s when we shut the door and go home.”

Forget your basic buttermilk, at Mollis the high-welfare chicken is brined in homemade shio koji, a Japanese fermented rice concoction that imparts a miso-like savouriness as enzymes work their magic to break down proteins creating beautifully tender, juicy meat that packs an umami punch.  

This summer, Mollis are bringing their trademark banging chicken to the other side of town with a takeover of the kitchens at live music and sports bar Saltbox in Bolero Square. "We're really delighted to be bringing our 'Michelin starred Chicken shop' to the other side of town from our Derby Road home,” said Alex. “It's a chance to introduce our delicious food to thousands of people coming to see their favourite acts at the Arena and give them some of the best fried chicken they've ever had."  

We paid a visit to check out what’s on offer and left impressed. Alongside a classic fried-chicken burger which is worlds better than anything you’d find at a fast-food place, the wings and tenders on offer are given the same star treatment you'd find at Mollis. 

Choose between salt, pepper, and hot honey, or the more exotic gochujang buffalo, blue cheese, and pickled pineapple. For those of a plant-based persuasion, the small menu includes a mushroom and black bean burger topped with whipped lemon and goat cheese, or a vegan version served with red cabbage, lime, and coriander salad.

It's perfect for a pre-gig pit stop or a post-hockey chow-down for visitors to the Motorpoint Arena next door, but for fans of football and music Saltbox is a destination in itself this summer. Alongside a showcase of local talent each Friday at Saltbox Presents, they regularly host gigs and late-night music events. They're gearing up for a summer of football when the Euros kick off in June with plans to extend the outdoor terrace and install a huge screen to create the perfect city centre fanzone. 

Treat yourself to a homegrown Michelin star experience at Alchemilla, or head to the Mollis takeover at Saltbox which is available every Friday and Saturday night in June and July.

alchemillarestaurant.uk