Alchemy Caterers

Hmmm… Unilocal has this marked as closed but I was just there yesterday. Anywho, I stopped by to pick up an order of the Lemon Glazed Five Flavor Pound Cake. The staff were so friendly that I had to take the time to write a review. I LOVE Carla Hall and have been following her career since Top Chef. I have been on her mailing list for a while but have never made it to any of her events. When I arrived to pick up my order, I was a little put off by the nondescript location but quickly remembered such is the case for most industrial catering spaces. Upon entering the building, I was immediately pleasantly greeted by multiple people and even more as I briefly awaited my order. Every. Single. Person. from the kitchen to the office took the time to speak to me and make sure I was being helped. They even apologized for having so many people greet me to which I replied «I’ll take this over no being greeted» any day. And I’m not talking the fake «welcome, welcome, welcome» type of greeting either. The kindness and charm of everyone there reminded me so much of why I was drawn to Carla Hall in the first place. How apropos that her place of business so authentically reflects her personality! I haven’t indulged in the cake yet but I will def update my review when I do. If it’s anything like her AMAZEBALL cookies, then this 4-​star will quickly become 5 =)

Got the sweet cookie sampler delivered as a birthday gift back in April from a fellow Top Chef fan.
Not only was the selection varied… 6 different cookies, but they come in tiny bite sizes, so you can have (and savor) all 6 flavors in one sitting.
they range from cranbery shortbread, to choclate crinkle, to mexican chocolate chip… these are of the quality and creativity you’d expect… great gift if your looking for one… especially for a Top Chef fan.

I finally had the chance to try Carla Hall’s Alchemy Caterers during her cookie launch at ACKC. Not sure I ever would have had the opportunity otherwise if not for tagging along with a savvy Unilocal friend, since (on a lark) husband and I investigated Alchemy for our wedding reception, got our quote, and dropped that idea like a sack of pastry flour.
I loved Carla on both her seasons of Top Chef and was really looking forward to sampling her signature cookies. Meeting her in person and having a little chat with her was a major bonus — she’s as personable and grounded as she seems on TV.
The cookies are miniature, almost dollhouse size, not even a mouthful. But the flavors are larger than life. We were able to sample Almond Cherry Ginger Shortbread, Black Forest Crinkle, Mexican Chocolate Chip, Pecan Shortbread with Vanilla Salt, and Cheddar Pecan. My favorite was the savory, subtly hot Cheddar Pecan followed closely by the Pecan Shortbread with Vanilla Salt. The combination of sweetness and salinity was spot-​on.
Fortunately for me and other Carla fans, these cookies are available for shipment through Alchemy’s website. In fact, I just shipped some to California for my Bro’s birthday. Hootie hoo!
[Top Chef: Carla Hall]

So it’s been about a year since the first time I tried Carla’s cookies and I can totally see the improvement she has made. There is a new style of packaging (the first two times I tried them they were in little cookie tins, now they are packaged in bags) They are still tiny little bit sized bites of happiness.
I found out when she ran the Groupon promotion (as I mentioned in my last review) Carla had just left to film Top Chef All Stars and she had to leave the orders to be filled by her staff. So that’s apparently why it wasn’t quite successful. And my cookies were delivered in crumbs… which I still blame on the postal service.
Anyway, I just went to Carla’s cookie launch at ACKC (14^th and Q NW) and she was giving out free cookies and champagne… thanks for the neverending glasses of champagne Carla! Plus, she is just an awesome person and walked around the room the whole night talking to every single person there, signing autographs, and taking pictures. The cookies are great and it’s nice to see how the business has improved over the past year. They will be sold at ACKC and eventually… Whole Foods! Way to go Carla!

i obsess over celebrity chefs. no, not rachael ray and sandra lee; those guys are just cooks with perky personalities and the dumb luck to have secured a tv show. i’m talking CHEFS. some people might get flustered and embarrassed when in the same vicinity as say, beyonce or lady gaga; for me, the rockstar is more likely to be thomas keller or eric ripert (well, let’s be real; everyone loves gaga). that’s why i was thrilled when my sis told me my christmas present would be a groupon to attend a demonstration cooking class with top chef’s carla hall!
carla is EXACTLY like she is on tv; funny, goofy, laidback, and ready to make you some delicious food. she didn’t drop her signature «hootie hoo,» but she did do her crazy top chef all-​stars yell (family guy defines it as the noise you make «when you’re about to assassinate an infidel»). my absolute favorite part was getting the inside scoop on top chef: yes, tony bourdain is a way scarier judge than tom colicchio; yes, they get to taste each other’s food; no she can’t tell us who won top chef all-​stars because of a $ 1 million security clause; and so on.
she made us some of the most simple and delicious roasted root vegetables i’ve ever tasted (secret: take them out of the oven after caramelization and finish them in a sauté pan with butter!!). i loved her classic and full-​of-​love food, but to be honest, the menu was what drops her down a star for me. i’ve taken a lot of cooking classes (and used to assist at l’academie du cuisine), so the recipes came off as very basic; something i could come up with myself, when what i want from a chef are new and innovative ideas. however, i saw lots of people diligently taking notes as if their spouses would test them upon return, so i know that it’s the right level for most.
best tip of all? carla’s current favorite restaurant in the DC metro area! it’s 8407 kitchen and bar, at 8407 ramsay in downtown silver spring. i was unable to go while on east coast holiday, but was seriously tempted by chef pedro matamoros’ menu — deviled eggs with pork jowl, housemade andouille sausage, and buttermilk-​fried calamari? i can totally see why carla loves this place!

Bought my cookies through groupon and am loving them! They are the most delicious bite size things ever! Perfectly moist & buttery and true to taste in every way. They are just heavenly!

Twenty days after I bought the Groupon side deal for their Signature Cookie Collection delivered to my door.
You can tell from tasting the nickels of baked goodness (as in the «cookies» are the nickel-​to-​dime-​sized tastings, 60 – 80 cookies equating to a half package of Oreos’ worth of baked good), that quality ingredients were used to make them as they suggested. You can taste the real butter, fine cinnamon and vanilla and vibrant chocolate and coffee flavors. Just wished they labeled the cookies so I knew exactly which is which (still haven’t figured out what the savory cookie is)…
Carla Hall of Top Chef fame sure knows how to make some cookies and promote her catering business. I can only imagine the quality of product you get if you use her for actual catering services.