Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Pellot.
Alexandra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story is definitely different. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and started working on the restaurant and hotel industry to pay for college when I was 17 years old. Since I was a book nerd like my family and friends called me, I had the opportunity to get into college and jump a year, so I was pretty much taking some of my concentration classes in science since I wanted to become a doctor. That first year I fell in love with the industry, and I switched everything and moved my major to business and hotel management.
In the new college that I went to a lot of opportunities presented to me like doing a semester in Switzerland, and also I worked in a bunch of different high-end restaurants and Hotels on the island. All this experience opened the door to me to become the bar manager at The Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan PR, and shortly after that, I became the only female finalist in the top 10 world-class bartenders in Puerto Rico.
After a few years of managing the four bars at the Vanderbilt Hotel, I started to look to see what my next step was. My boss and Hotel GM sent my resume to one of his friends in California, and I got a call from the Central Coast. Allegretto Resorts was opening their doors, and they hired me over the phone to be their lead bartender and opener of their new property.
At the Allegretto, I met Andrew Brune and Quin Cody, two of my actual business partners a few months in we became great friends, and after we met Tony Quin husband, and my three partners. We all began this journey together, and we used to always talk the big game of having our own place until one day in the winter of 2019 Quin and myself ran away from the corporate world that was consuming us without an actual plan. We took some weeks off trying to figure out what we were going to do, and almost when we were about to give up. Andrew found a magical space in the heart of downtown Paso Robles.
Then Andrew and I called Quin and Tony to see if they wanted to jump in crazy adventure with us. This is how the Alchemist Garden started to become real. We started looking for banks and investors to help us with the start up and after mention with a lot of entities and possible candidates we met Norin our five partner he was definitely the balance that we were looking to add to the team.
This was all in 2020 we signed our contract and then two weeks in, Covid-19 happened. The whole world shut down Murphy-law right! Now we were all working in the building, ripping floors and painting walls. Fixing everything we can by hand and making our dream come true, we were not gonna give up. We adjusted ourself to take all the ups and downs, and we fought our way out until now we are here in 2023, kicking it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh no! Struggles, yes every day all the time. Some of the struggles:
1- Covid-19
2- Finding good employees
3- Retaining employees
4- Government regulations
5- Price Inflation
6- Availability of products
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Alchemists Garden?
The Alchemists Garden is a Restaurant and Bar with amazing cocktails. Our specialty is creative cocktails and innovative. People come from all parts to try our drinks, but they stay for our food and wonderful service and ambiance.
What sets it apart from others is the combined knowledge that the four of the operating partner brings to the table. This makes the Alchemist’s experience unique since we all pour everything that we know in our daily operations and to our team members.
Our brand is very obscure and easy to be creative with. We create a lot of things around their natural forms and their transformation, including the esoteric and magical elements.
I want the readers to be inspired and come over to the Alchemists Garden to have a fantastic time with friends and family and get the opportunity of indulging themself in amazing food and cocktails.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Yes, we have a lot of help from family, friends, and our community:
– All the Alchemists Staff, you guys are the core of this entity.
-Claudia and Daniel from DCR without you guys we not would be here.
– Michael Labriola you are a godsend
– Kate Cody for all the words of encouragement
– Chris Rustle and Lisa Bedwell for all the help and support
– Justin from RNDC and Matt from Southern you guys know!
– All the local distilleries and wineries shout out to Black-market spirits
– All downtown restaurants for the love and support.
Contact Info:
- Website: alchemistsgarden.com
- Instagram: alchemistsgarden
- Facebook: alchemistsgarden
