‘Bench’, founded by Tom Aronica (food) and Jack Wakelin (drinks), is a new supper club concept launching on 24 November at Peter & Paul’s Testone Factory in Kelham Island. The event marks the first in a series of pop-ups that will take place on a quarterly basis throughout the city – with one of the upcoming locations announced being Upshot Espresso on Gibraltar Street.
The Testone Factory ©Luke Hayes
Jack and Ronnie met whilst working in the prestigious underground bar Public. They have come together to create a fresh and unique form of dining, which is centred on the idea of dining at one table – hence the name. The aspiration of the project is to develop a comfortable atmosphere and bring people together.
The menu will consist of five dishes and five drinks, all using the same ingredients in order to complement each other and to reduce waste. Jack has stated that they aren’t sure “how to describe it yet”, but the aim is to “push the boundaries with what you create with the same ingredients”. The use of pop-up locations rather than a constant position is to “highlight Sheffield’s varied independent scene; and hope it provides an informal laid-back environment – something different to what we are used to.”
Tickets will be priced at £5 and include an aperitif and food pairing. All dishes and drinks will then be priced at £7 each, to give guests the flexibility to indulge in all that suits their taste and budget.
For more details on the event and ticket releases, visit Ronnie and Jack’s Instagram @BenchSheffield
Photography: Luke Hayes
