A mixer of drinks. A weaver of tales. A showman. Alchemy Bar mixologist Richie’s award-winning creative concoctions are, in many ways, indicative of the life he has lived so far… exciting, unusual and always with a little surprise up his sleeve!

Situated on Eat Street at Lifestyle Centre, Alchemy Bar specialises in craft alcohol, artisanal wine and phenomenally innovative cocktails created by Richie. They also have a range of ‘small plate’ foods and weekend brunches for when the nibbles kick in!
Born in the UK, 30-year-old Richie moved to South Africa (and Ballito) in 2021. Since then, he has gone on to become one of the most highly respected mixologists in the province and the country, having placed second at the 2023 World Class national bartending championships and officially putting KZN on the national bar cheffing map!

Growing up in England, Richie was a hyper-active, full-of-beans, skateboarding youngster with an interest in IT and computers. “After school I went straight to my first job at a car dealership, while simultaneously teaching myself graphic design.”
When he got his first full-time graphic design job, Richie wasn’t as happy as he thought he should’ve been. “The fact that I wasn’t excited about the job told me something. So, I decided to move to India instead,” he laughs.

Working part-time as a bartender at a local village cricket club, Richie saved up enough to go travelling, starting with a year in Nepal and India. Despite his limited hospitality experience, Richie got a job as a trainer with a chain of hostels. After that, he managed a guesthouse in Cambodia for four and a half years. “While I was there, I did a TEFL English teaching course, which turned out to be a great decision because I taught Chemistry and Algebra in Cambodia when Covid hit.”

Richie met and got engaged to a South African girl while living in Cambodia and the couple moved to Ballito three years ago. “I saw a job advert for Alchemy and applied and, although I had significant bar and management experience, I had never been exposed to this type of drink artistry. This was much more serious than mixing up drinks in a hostel in Cambodia and I quickly realised I had lots to learn,” he laughs.

Richie attributes his success since then to Alchemy and its owner, Theo Vermaak, for giving him a platform and allowing him the space and freedom to play, learn and grow. “Theo trusted me and gave me the room to discover my true passion. I had never really believed in myself as a creative, but then I found a space where I truly felt comfortable being one. I immersed myself in the mixology world, watching hours of Youtube videos and collecting recipe books.”

Achieving such phenomenal success so early in his career was both exciting and daunting for Richie.
Placing second in South Africa at the World Class champs – a massive achievement for himself, Alchemy Bar and the province as a whole.

Not one to shy away from a challenge and always keen to try something new, Richie says he loves to surprise his customers with ingredients and flavours they wouldn’t necessarily expect in a cocktail. “I am inspired by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal who is a world pioneer in multi-sensory food and flavour pairing. I love doing wild, creative stuff and believe that people should always try new and exciting things!”

A lover of food and travel, Richie is looking forward to exploring more of South Africa and loves living on the KZN North Coast. “The sub-tropical climate here suits me perfectly, and we have all the modern amenities we could need.”

Asked what the secret to making a great cocktail is, Richie says being a good mixologist is about much more than just the drink. “You have to be an entertainer. It’s a visual experience for the customer – from the choosing the beautiful liquor bottle on the shelf to the tale you weave while putting the cocktail together – you have to captivate people. Good drinks don’t win competitions, good stories do!”