Proven People

Nothing to prove

A brand new independent nestling down in the city centre, Proven People is a vibrant hangout, a place where people can bond over great food, share a few drinks and lose themselves in top-quality music from the brightest DJ talents come the weekend. Matthew Thomas checks in with the team behind this new venture on Burdon Road…

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

PP: We are Elliot, Lee and Paul, three mates who had an idea for a bar that serves great pizza, good drinks and plays great music.

When did your passion for food begin?

PP: I guess we all love good food. It was important to make a place where you can come for a bite to eat and a drink, or a relaxed meal with friends in a nice environment. We all have different tastes but equally we all love a great pizza in good company.

Has it always been a dream to combine your love of music with the hospitality world?

PP: We chatted for ages about how we could open our own spot one day. I guess you could say we have matured in recent years and in doing so, realised the potential of a place that marries together the things we enjoy; music,

Why did you choose Sunderland as the spot to launch Proven People?

PP: There is a passion here and a want for more and more independent businesses to do well. Some of the architecture is mind blowing and when we visited the building we fell in love with it.

food, good beer, natural wine and spending time with loved ones.

How did the inspiration for Proven People come about?

PP: We had been looking at various buildings for sometime, trying to find somewhere we could see us making our own. When we found 1-2 Burdon Road, we instantly saw the potential and started adapting our ideas and vision specifically for this building.

Tell us about the work that has gone on at 1-2 Burdon Road…

PP: We had to bring the place to life a bit, fix a few issues and put our stamp on it without ignoring the heritage of the building. We’ve future proofed the space with new electrics, as well as all new fittings and fixtures. There’s an all new decor, new additions to the kitchen, a whole new bar area, a great sound system that sounds unbelievable and a DJ booth with a full analog and digital set up so our DJs can play their records or more modern cuts in digital format through one of the best mixers in the world. We have also shared our love of artwork with some heritage artwork from over the years and there’s three portraits of Grace Jones, Andrew Weatherall and Frankie Knuckles from a local artist to create hanging on the walls.

What was the inspiration behind the colourful decor? Any particular themes or aesthetics that influenced you?

PP: The most important thing is we didn’t want to be like anywhere else. Given that the huge windows at the front of the place make everything so bright, we needed lots of art and colour dotted about. I can’t imagine many people saying it looks like that bar over there or it’s similar to this bar in this town. It’s been a joint effort with all of us having input on colour schemes, fittings, bar tops, tiles and so on. We hope people enjoy the space as much as we do.

Which dishes and menu highlights are you most excited about?

PP: Leon, our head chef, has put together a great food offering and he’s covered all bases really. Whether you want a quick glass of wine and a New York pizza slice, or if you’re wanting a selection of small plates to share with a group of friends, there’s plenty to get involved with. There’s lunch specials for the local businesses' lunch footfall and we even have a special stromboli which is unbelievable. We have incorporated fantastic locally sourced seafood on our menu and it’s pleasing to see that our crab and chilli pizza has been a huge success. We are launching a breakfast offering soon and we'll have daily specials too. It’s all happening! PP: Our drinks menu is equally as important. Our manager Jordan is well known around the North East for his prowess with cocktails and he has created us a bespoke drinks list with some exceptional cocktails. We have worked with natural wine specialists Kork in

Whitley Bay to create a unique natural wine list that will change throughout the year. On top of this, we have a great selection of lagers, beers and craft beers on draught and in the fridges too.

How has the local community responded to Proven People since opening in July?

PP: Honestly we have been a bit blown away with the support from the local community. The feedback on the food, drinks, service, decor, music and the overall vibe has been amazing. One particular customer said to us recently that they felt we had just been here forever like her local and she feels comfortable popping in for a coffee or a glass of wine.

What does the remainder of 2021 have in store for Proven People?

PP: Welcoming lots of new and familiar faces through the doors. Loads of great food with locally sourced ingredients, evenings filled with natural wine, great cocktails, our DJs playing great music, our musicians jamming on Tuesday nights, and dancing with new friends until the early hours.

A new era for Spice Empire

Johnathan Ramsay chats to Imad Rahman of Spice Empire as he reveals all about a transformational year for this local business...

From the outside, Spice Empire is a quaint, understated building that you could easily mistake for a cosy old pub. However, a quick glance inside reveals a modern, hidden gem of an Indian restaurant nestled among some of the city's historic buildings. Recently passed down from one generation to the next, Spice Empire is owned by Rafi Hussain and managed by Imad Rahman. Rafi's first order of business when he took over in 2018 was to update the restaurant's interior; bringing it into the modern age whilst maintaining that original charm that so many love. It’s that duality of tradition and modernity that really defines this latest incarnation of a beloved SR1 Indian restaurant. Imad is one of Spice Empire's biggest personalities. Having only joined Spice Empire at the start of the year, he’s overseen one of the toughest and most transformative years for the restaurant to-date. Imad describes the former state of Spice Empire during a sensational mealtime; “Before the transformation, the carpets were different, there was a stage area and it was really like an old-fashioned, typical Indian restaurant”. “With the new design, Rafi wanted it to be more modern and attract a younger audience, as well as retain that authentic feel for the older generations." Imad was born into the food industry, grafting away in his dad’s takeaway when he was just 11. He was instantly captivated by the fast pace of it all and knew he was going to be working within the food sector for the rest of his life. “My dad taught me the tricks of the trade really” Imad continued. “After 5 years working with my dad, my uncle then took me under his wing working at his restaurant. Takeaways are a completely different ball game from restaurants. I like socialising and talking with people, but with takeaways you can’t really do that. So, I knew I wanted to get into the restaurant business. Don’t get me wrong, it is a lot of blood, sweat and tears that you’ve got to put in. But that's what I love about it.” There’s certainly been some blood, sweat and tears during this past year for the entire restaurant industry. Lockdowns have had a huge impact on businesses and left an air of uncertainty in their wake. For Imad, it’s been the support from the people of Sunderland that’s gotten him and Spice Empire through these tough times. “We’re so grateful for the local community supporting us and if it wasn’t for them, it would have been really tough over the past year." “It just goes to show how Sunderland people come together in a time of need. We’ve seen everyone back, all the old faces, new faces as well. That’s what kept us going.” A born and bred Mackem, the support of the city has filled Imad with an incredible sense of pride about where he comes from. “We’re such a tight community. I don’t think we’ll get that anywhere else” Imad proudly announces. “I don’t think I’ll ever move out of Sunderland. In terms of the business, I know if I ever run out of anything here I can just go next door and ask - they’d happily give it and help me out. I don’t think you’d ever get that anywhere else.”