Beginnings

Guy, can you tell us about how you first got into cocktails?
My journey into cocktails started in the kitchens as a chef. I began as a pot wash in a gastropub when I was about 17 and worked my way up through the kitchen, from pastry to the line, learning many skills along the way. I took a break from hospitality and ended up working on the local estate farm for a few harvest seasons, then moved out to the Alps for two seasons, where I ran a small restaurant kitchen. It was just me and a French barman, so I was learning everything quickly, alpine cooking, ordering local ingredients, and even speaking to guests, sharing stories, wine, and the theatre of cooking over fire. That’s where I really fell in love with hospitality, the interaction and the theatre of it all.

When I came back to the UK, I moved through a few eclectic roles, including security and defence, and even importing saffron to the UK from Afghanistan, before eventually getting into cocktails through a slightly unexpected route. I met Archie by chance at Taste of London, the owner of Black Cow Vodka, who asked me to build a cocktail bar in a fire-damaged Art Deco cinema in Dorset. That’s really where it all began. I was building the bar, while also working as a brand ambassador, creating drinks and hosting tastings, and I quickly got completely hooked.

Your work feels so rooted in nature, has it always been that way?
A lot of it comes from foraging, which I really got into during Covid. I was reading about all these incredible ingredients, wild mushrooms, herbs, berries and trees, and realised I couldn’t buy most of them. So I thought, I’ll just have to find them.

I was living on the edge of a dairy farm at the time, so I had access to a lot of land. I started going out, collecting ingredients, and experimenting, making gooseberry wine, elderflower champagne, and rhubarb beer. It was quite chaotic, there were explosions. I was woken up one night by 10 litres of elderflower champagne erupting, leaving tiny white flowers across my ceiling and bookshelves, but these experiments opened up a whole new world of flavour. There are all these flavours out there which you simply can’t buy. As a chef, that’s incredibly exciting, it feels like discovering something completely new.

Materials, Methods & Working with And Objects

When you’re creating a drink, where do you usually start?
It works both ways. Sometimes it starts with an idea or a story, like trying to recreate a flavour or memory, and sometimes it’s just going out for a walk and seeing what’s growing. One of the best parts of my job is walking through hedgerows and meadows, smelling fresh flowers and fruits, and letting that guide me. You might come across something unexpected and think, how can I use this? I’m very much driven by the seasons, but I also preserve ingredients in alcohol, which allows me to pause them. It’s a bit like a wine vintage, you’re capturing a specific moment in time, a particular summer, and revisiting it later.

Do people ever come to you with something personal they want turned into a drink?
Yes, all the time, especially for weddings. One of the first things I ask is whether there’s a flavour, place, or drink that means something to them as a couple. It might be something from their first date, or a place they’ve travelled to. Recently, I worked with a couple who had a fig tree in their garden, so we created a cocktail using both the figs and the leaves, which have this warm, almost coconut-like flavour. I love creating something completely personal, something you wouldn’t experience anywhere else.

The drinks you make often feel quite nostalgic, is that intentional?

Sometimes it is, but often it comes afterwards. I’ll create something, taste it, and then realise it reminds me of something very specific. That happened with the FAB! drink I made for the And Objects event, inspired by the Fab ice cream. When I first tasted it, it immediately took me back to being a child enjoying a brightly coloured ice lolly. It took me a while to place it, but once I did, it was so clear. Smell and taste are incredibly powerful, they can transport you straight back to a moment in time. That’s what makes a drink feel special.

What is it about being behind the bar that you love most?
It’s the interaction. When you’re cooking, you don’t always get that immediate response, but behind the bar, you make something, hand it over, and see the reaction straight away. There’s nothing better than that moment when someone takes a sip and you can see they’re genuinely happy, or deep in thought trying to understand where that flavour has taken them. You can really feed off that energy. I also love the ritual of it, especially with something like a martini, the process, the precision, the way it’s served. It all contributes to the experience.

You recently created some custom cocktails for an event of ours. How did you approach working with And Objects, and what was your process in responding to the space?
It’s about composition, balance, and how something makes you feel. When I was creating drinks for your showroom, I spent time looking at the space and the colours you were using. I wanted the drinks to feel like they belonged there, reflecting that same sense of vibrancy and playfulness. In my own space, I’ve definitely been influenced by friends in interiors. I’ve learned that things don’t have to match, there’s something more interesting about an eclectic mix. I don’t like everything feeling too uniform. Even small details, like a pop of colour, can completely change the feel of a space. The same is true with drinks.

Finally, what would you say keeps you inspired?
Flavour, really. I love it. If I’m not making something, I’m thinking about what I’m going to eat or drink next. It’s kind of my life.

You can find more information about Guy's ethos and cocktail creations at Natura Cocktails, and his roaming bar at Guy's Place, or follow his instagram page.