 Domini in her uniform |  Nutritious Juices at Alchemy |
Domini Kemp was born in the Bahamas and moved here with her family at a young age. With her sister Peaches, she has created a veritable empire on the Irish food scene. ITSA Bagel, Alchemy Juice Co. and Feast Catering are well known bastions of Irish food at this stage, and I caught up with her at a bustling Alchemy on Grafton Street in Dublin to hear her story, and how it all began.
I wanted to know how she first got into food, the answer to which was ‘probably that she’d failed at everything else’ Domini said with a smile. Her first passion was horses, and she began her entrepreneurial journey with a tack shop in Kildare, selling high end tack to equestrian folk. She always enjoyed the business side of this world but was unsure as to whether she could carve out a career in this highly competitive and demanding of sectors, travelling miles to shows weekly.
Domini had always had an interest in food though, with her sister working at various restaurants and cafés in Dublin, so she decided to enrol for a Food and Wine Diploma from Leiths College in London. This was originally to be a backup plan in case an Equine career wasn’t to be, but it soon became apparent that Domini was talented in food, and the building blocks for a successful career were laid here.
Double jobbing for a period after gaining her qualification to see which might prove more fruitful, Domini worked as a chef at the Atlanta Olympics in ’96, came back to Dublin and had a chance meeting with Conrad Gallagher at The Peacock Alley Restaurant, decided to sell her horses and dive into a career in food.
Describing herself as a ‘jack of all trades’ at this early stage in her career, Domini was instrumental in the early success of this restaurant , working front of house and having an active role in choosing wines and writing recipes . The restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in ’98 and rave reviews for its fine French food. Domini learnt lots about food business in this period and when the time came to move on, the timing was perfect as her sister was also looking for a new opportunity.
Peaches and Domini had spent considerable amounts of time in America prior to this and noticed how bagels had become a huge trend. Domini had learnt about what not to do in business in her time at Peacock Alley and felt buoyed by this knowledge that they could go forward with all she had learnt and start something special. The sisters had always wanted to start a business together and when this chance came they grabbed it.
When the sisters first approached the idea of bringing bagels to Ireland, Irish consumers weren’t too sure what to expect. Domini tells me how people thought they were going to be selling Beagles, not bagels. The energy that Domini had in this youth spurred her on though and she comes across as a brave person who always believes in trying something. It’s lucky she did because it was an immediate hit.
Working from a small unit in the Epicurean Food Hall, the bagels were flying off the shelves. This small unit was good for the fledgling company though, as it taught the sisters to be efficient and organised. When the sisters got their second branch in Dun Laorigh they were glad of the extra space, and were able to split the work load.
It was after their third shop opened in Fitzwilliam Lane that the idea of their outdoor catering company took off. Around 2002, with a big kitchen in Dun Laorigh being quiet during the winter, a catering company was born. Starting slowly, as more orders came in they moved to the Spade Enterprise Centre in Smithfield and then to their current location for production in Sandyford.
Growth came organically for the sister act after that , adding a shop or two annually –through the recession- slow and steady progress but with tangible results.
When we were in the throes of the downturn, Domini and Peaches knew (like so many of us) that innovation was going to help them survive, and from this, Hatch and Sons at The Little Museum of Dublin was born. Joes soon followed and the idea of having a specialty coffee shop was central to the sister’s plans. Seeing how specialty coffee had taken off, the pair diversified into providing specialty coffee for coffee lovers. The idea was modelled on Pret a Manger, and the aim was to provide the best coffee and brilliant food for those of us who really care about the beans we’re drinking.
Following a bout with breast cancer in 2013, (from which Domini now has the all clear), the sister’s newest venture, Alchemy was born. This stemmed from the illness Domini had been battling with. The emphasis here is on good, healthy, nutritious food and juices. Domini says that this is something she really lived while she was ill.
“Alchemy was about trying to take all the bad stuff that happened during the illness and trying to make a business that incorporated all of that learning. It wasn’t an easy thing to do but it felt like the right thing to do and it was a really nice and confident way to turn that situation around.”
Domini did a lot of research during this period on what foods really supported the immune system and helped build a body back up after an illness. You can really see this shining through in the ingredients that adorn the menu at Alchemy. Garlic, Turmeric, Ginger, Bone Broths and Miso were all important foods for Domini in her battle with cancer and she wanted to share this learning with the public in Alchemy.
The reaction to the new shop has been brilliant so far. Domini was worried about the initial reaction to this healthiest of cafés; she wondered if her staff would spend a lot of time trying to convince customers about the benefits of the various aspects of the menu. She was pleasantly surprised though when they opened their doors here to find that the vast majority of people who were coming in were very knowledgeable about their food and were completely on board with the healthy aspects of the menu and the benefit it could be to their bodies. This was a relief for Domini and the validation that came from this showed her that Dublin was ready for Alchemy, and for the health benefits it stands for.
We're interrupted once or twice during our chat by well wishers and admirers of Domini, whom she welcomes warmly and chats with about various aspects of the shop and the décor there . I overhear her say that Alchemy is modelled on a chemists to a certain extent; the medicinal feel shines through in the layout and design of the space. I guess this is reminiscent of a time spent in areas similar to this when trying to beat her Illness. It's nice to see that having come out the other side that Domini has embraced it and been able to make it a part of her next adventure.
Before parting I ask Domini to share her favourite dish from her years in cooking with me. She laughs and tells me that's like asking her to pick her favourite child, so I change tack . I ask what arm of the business she's most proud of, and I have a feeling I know the answer before it comes. It is clear that Alchemy Juice Co is Domini's current baby, with so much of her own experience having gone into it.
Domini and Peaches employ hundreds of staff across their growing brands in Ireland, and Domini is loving every minute of it.
I wanted to know how she first got into food, the answer to which was ‘probably that she’d failed at everything else’ Domini said with a smile. Her first passion was horses, and she began her entrepreneurial journey with a tack shop in Kildare, selling high end tack to equestrian folk. She always enjoyed the business side of this world but was unsure as to whether she could carve out a career in this highly competitive and demanding of sectors, travelling miles to shows weekly.
Domini had always had an interest in food though, with her sister working at various restaurants and cafés in Dublin, so she decided to enrol for a Food and Wine Diploma from Leiths College in London. This was originally to be a backup plan in case an Equine career wasn’t to be, but it soon became apparent that Domini was talented in food, and the building blocks for a successful career were laid here.
Double jobbing for a period after gaining her qualification to see which might prove more fruitful, Domini worked as a chef at the Atlanta Olympics in ’96, came back to Dublin and had a chance meeting with Conrad Gallagher at The Peacock Alley Restaurant, decided to sell her horses and dive into a career in food.
Describing herself as a ‘jack of all trades’ at this early stage in her career, Domini was instrumental in the early success of this restaurant , working front of house and having an active role in choosing wines and writing recipes . The restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in ’98 and rave reviews for its fine French food. Domini learnt lots about food business in this period and when the time came to move on, the timing was perfect as her sister was also looking for a new opportunity.
Peaches and Domini had spent considerable amounts of time in America prior to this and noticed how bagels had become a huge trend. Domini had learnt about what not to do in business in her time at Peacock Alley and felt buoyed by this knowledge that they could go forward with all she had learnt and start something special. The sisters had always wanted to start a business together and when this chance came they grabbed it.
When the sisters first approached the idea of bringing bagels to Ireland, Irish consumers weren’t too sure what to expect. Domini tells me how people thought they were going to be selling Beagles, not bagels. The energy that Domini had in this youth spurred her on though and she comes across as a brave person who always believes in trying something. It’s lucky she did because it was an immediate hit.
Working from a small unit in the Epicurean Food Hall, the bagels were flying off the shelves. This small unit was good for the fledgling company though, as it taught the sisters to be efficient and organised. When the sisters got their second branch in Dun Laorigh they were glad of the extra space, and were able to split the work load.
It was after their third shop opened in Fitzwilliam Lane that the idea of their outdoor catering company took off. Around 2002, with a big kitchen in Dun Laorigh being quiet during the winter, a catering company was born. Starting slowly, as more orders came in they moved to the Spade Enterprise Centre in Smithfield and then to their current location for production in Sandyford.
Growth came organically for the sister act after that , adding a shop or two annually –through the recession- slow and steady progress but with tangible results.
When we were in the throes of the downturn, Domini and Peaches knew (like so many of us) that innovation was going to help them survive, and from this, Hatch and Sons at The Little Museum of Dublin was born. Joes soon followed and the idea of having a specialty coffee shop was central to the sister’s plans. Seeing how specialty coffee had taken off, the pair diversified into providing specialty coffee for coffee lovers. The idea was modelled on Pret a Manger, and the aim was to provide the best coffee and brilliant food for those of us who really care about the beans we’re drinking.
Following a bout with breast cancer in 2013, (from which Domini now has the all clear), the sister’s newest venture, Alchemy was born. This stemmed from the illness Domini had been battling with. The emphasis here is on good, healthy, nutritious food and juices. Domini says that this is something she really lived while she was ill.
“Alchemy was about trying to take all the bad stuff that happened during the illness and trying to make a business that incorporated all of that learning. It wasn’t an easy thing to do but it felt like the right thing to do and it was a really nice and confident way to turn that situation around.”
Domini did a lot of research during this period on what foods really supported the immune system and helped build a body back up after an illness. You can really see this shining through in the ingredients that adorn the menu at Alchemy. Garlic, Turmeric, Ginger, Bone Broths and Miso were all important foods for Domini in her battle with cancer and she wanted to share this learning with the public in Alchemy.
The reaction to the new shop has been brilliant so far. Domini was worried about the initial reaction to this healthiest of cafés; she wondered if her staff would spend a lot of time trying to convince customers about the benefits of the various aspects of the menu. She was pleasantly surprised though when they opened their doors here to find that the vast majority of people who were coming in were very knowledgeable about their food and were completely on board with the healthy aspects of the menu and the benefit it could be to their bodies. This was a relief for Domini and the validation that came from this showed her that Dublin was ready for Alchemy, and for the health benefits it stands for.
We're interrupted once or twice during our chat by well wishers and admirers of Domini, whom she welcomes warmly and chats with about various aspects of the shop and the décor there . I overhear her say that Alchemy is modelled on a chemists to a certain extent; the medicinal feel shines through in the layout and design of the space. I guess this is reminiscent of a time spent in areas similar to this when trying to beat her Illness. It's nice to see that having come out the other side that Domini has embraced it and been able to make it a part of her next adventure.
Before parting I ask Domini to share her favourite dish from her years in cooking with me. She laughs and tells me that's like asking her to pick her favourite child, so I change tack . I ask what arm of the business she's most proud of, and I have a feeling I know the answer before it comes. It is clear that Alchemy Juice Co is Domini's current baby, with so much of her own experience having gone into it.
Domini and Peaches employ hundreds of staff across their growing brands in Ireland, and Domini is loving every minute of it.
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