Never in a million years did I think I’d be a part of opening a restaurant.
Alchemy is my “day job,” if you will. My other half.
Grab a chair and let me tell you our story. I met my friend Abed in an undergraduate nutrition class at Ohio State University in 2011. In addition to sharing a love for good food and even better company to share it with, we had a common goal of inspiring social change via sustainable food choices.
Post graduation, Abed was working as a social entrepreneur and restaurateur alongside his brothers, the founders of A&R Creative. I had just finished my master’s and gotten my RD license, still figuring out what the hell I wanted to do with my life. In April of 2014, Abed proposed his idea for turning his vision into a holistic restaurant intersecting health care and food. I thought he was joking.
Nonetheless, we joined forces to create Alchemy, an innovative health food concept where everyone, no matter their dietary preferences, could sit at the same table and enjoy a thoughtfully-sourced and insanely tasty meal. Alchemy was, and still is, the most challenging, wild, rewarding, and incredible thing I’ve ever done. We now have two locations and know the best is yet to come.
Alchemy isn’t your typical smoothie bar, and we like it that way. Our balanced approach to living a full life is evident in Alchemy’s progressive menu, which includes treats like dragon fruit pop tarts and chocolate avocado pudding. Inspired by making superfoods more accessible, we pride ourselves on approachability. And not taking anything too seriously.
We view food environmentally, socially, and nutritionally and are committed to creating concepts that reflect that. We recognize that food and nutrition issues are systemic and that if they can make even a small impact on the health and happiness of our nation, then that’s a job well done. We attribute the success of Alchemy to a team that works tirelessly to maintain Alchemy’s integrity, lightheartedness, and spunk.
We’ve both represented Columbus as Tastemakers and the United States as International Slow Food Delegates. We use Alchemy as a platform to bring people together and catalyze social change. Because food is meant to be shared. And what’s life without donuts?
Come visit us at our South Side or new Grandview location. I can’t wait to eat with you!