Mantel - a new Bath restaurant with a passion for local food and good people
There's a new restaurant coming to Bath, and we're delighted to be working with the people behind it.
Mantel is due to open on Argyle Street towards the end of November, bringing together great local produce, carefully chosen wines and a genuine love of hospitality.
Behind the restaurant are Jack Cooper and Mariana Gomez, who have spent years working in some fantastic restaurants, both in the UK and overseas. Now they're taking everything they've learnt and putting it into a restaurant of their own.
We caught up with them to find out a little more about their journey, their plans for Mantel and how we're helping them get their new business off the ground.
A shared passion for food and hospitality
Jack and Mariana first met while working at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea. Jack was working in the kitchen, while Mariana was part of the front-of-house team. As Jack puts it, it was a "classic hospitality love story".
After working in other London restaurants, they moved to Tasmania, where they developed a real passion for local produce, excellent wines and the strong sense of community they found within the hospitality industry. Jack explains: "The restaurants in Tasmania have this great sense of community. Everyone looks after each other and recommends other restaurants to their guests. It's something we really loved and wanted to recreate when we came back to the UK."
Following some time in Cornwall, they moved to Bath, a city they'd both always loved, and started looking for somewhere to open their own restaurant. When they found the premises on Argyle Street, they knew it was the right place.
"We've talked about having our own restaurant ever since we met," says Jack. "You work in lots of different places and take away the things you love, as well as the things you'd do differently. It's quite surreal to finally be opening our own place."
Creating something special in Bath
For Jack and Mariana, Mantel is about more than serving good food.
They want to create somewhere people can drop in for a glass of wine and a few snacks after work, but equally somewhere they'd choose to celebrate a special occasion. The menu will focus on the best local, seasonal produce available, with influences from the different places they've worked over the years.
And just as important as the food is the atmosphere they want to create.
They're putting a lot of thought into bringing together a team of people who are not only good at what they do, but who are kind, supportive and genuinely enjoy working with each other.
That same approach extends to their suppliers and the other businesses they work with. For Jack and Mariana, getting to know people and building good relationships really matters.
Finding the right accountant
With years of experience in hospitality, Jack and Mariana have a clear idea of the restaurant they want to create. But opening their first business has also meant getting to grips with elements of business management they've never had to deal with before.
"We really believe in what we're doing," says Jack. "I'd like to think I know what I'm doing with the food, and Mariana is amazing with people, service and wine. But there are parts of running a business that we just don't have much experience in."
They'd initially been working with a family accountant based in the North East, who had helped them set up their limited companies. However, as their plans progressed, they decided they wanted someone local, who they could meet face to face and build a relationship with.
And that's where Richardson Swift came in.
"We were parking outside the Richardson Swift office every day and kept seeing the sign," recalls Jack. "We'd been thinking about finding a local accountant and thought, well, it doesn't get much more local than this!"
"What we love about working with Jack and Mariana is how closely their approach to business reflects our own. They care about the people they work with, value good relationships and want to be part of Bath's local business community. It's been lovely getting to know them and we're excited to be supporting them as they get Mantel up and running."
- Rachael Rackham, Director at Richardson Swift
Working together from the start
From the first conversations with Richardson Swift, it was clear that finding the right personal fit was just as important to Jack and Mariana as finding the right professional expertise.
"We were paired with Rachael based on our needs and the type of business we had, but also on personalities," explains Jack. "I think that's really refreshing because often you can sit down with an accountant and it's not necessarily someone you have a lot in common with."
Alongside Rachael, they've also been working with Lucy, who has been helping them understand and get comfortable with their accounting software.
For two people opening their first business, having someone who can explain things clearly, answer questions and offer reassurance has made a real difference.
"The team almost make us feel like we've done it all before because they lay everything out so clearly for us. Any questions we've got, they're always available,” says Jack.
But perhaps the biggest difference has been knowing they have experienced people looking after the areas of the business they're less familiar with, freeing them up to concentrate on getting Mantel ready to open. As Jack explains: "Since we've met Rachael and Lucy at Richardson Swift, it has genuinely been a transformative experience. It really has made a huge difference to how we've been able to focus on other things and worry less about the parts of the business that we don't necessarily have a lot of experience in."
And it's not just the practical support that matters. For Jack and Mariana, who place so much importance on the people they work with, finding an accountant who shares those values has been equally important, "...as people who value those kinds of relationships in our own business, it's really great to be working with a group of people who also value those relationships in theirs."
Looking forward to opening
After years of working in other people's restaurants, Jack and Mariana are finally creating something of their own, bringing together the experiences, values and ideas they've gathered along the way.
We're really pleased to be supporting them as they take this next step and can't wait to see the restaurant open its doors.
And with Mantel just a few doors down from our office, we suspect there might be a few Richardson Swift team lunches on the horizon!
Find out more about Mantel:
W: mantelbath.co.uk
Insta: @mantel.restaurant
E: hello@mantelbath.co.uk
If you're interested in finding out about our services for businesses, check out the full range of services we offer and please don't hesitate to get in touch to find out more: hello@richardsonswift.co.uk.
