Coming together at the
Gliffaes Hotel near Crickhowell, one of 26 hotels in Wales to achieve a Gold
Award from Visit Wales, the new Bannau Brycheiniog Chefs Club introduced 8 locally
based chefs to each other allowing them the chance to discuss ideas and stories
on ways promote local produce on their respective menus.
Project coordinator Carol
Williams, Tourism Growth Officer for the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority
part of the Mid Wales Local Food Talks partnership noted: “The aim of
establishing a chefs club here in the Bannau Brycheiniog is to encourage local
chefs to get to know the food and drink produced in the area and get inspired
to source local produce for their menus. Over the coming months the Brecon
Beacons Chef’s Club members will visit local producers as well as sample local
delicacies and enjoy luncheons, such as today’s, prepared with locally sourced
produce.”
Inaugural Brecon Beacon
Chef Club members include Matt Voyle from The Bear Hotel, Crickhowell, Carole
Paish of The Bridge Cafe, Brecon, Robert Bryant from The Coach and Horses in
Llangynidr, Karl Cheetham of The Gliffaes Hotel, Crickhowell, Craig Wilden from
The Star in Talybont-on-Usk, Kelvin Parry of Peterstone Court,
Llanhamlach, and Lousie Gudsell from Tipple ‘N’ Tiffin in Brecon.
According to James Suter,
owner of the Gliffaes hotel who hosted the first meeting and arranged the
inaugural locally sourced luncheon: “Gone are the days of having to accept
poor food in Wales when you go out; we have become a nation of foodies – you
expect good food. Our customers and visitors want to see local produce on
the menus and know that what they’re eating and experiencing has provenance and
comes from down the road.”
Chef Karl
Chetham of the Gliffaes continued,
“We are so
lucky of our location here right in the middle of the Bannau Brycheiniog National
Park. Here we are surrounded by farmland that is not intensively farmed
which provides us with especially good local lamb and beef. Moving
through the seasons we enjoy the best of game, partridge, pheasant and venison
during Autumn and Winter and a few years ago we started growing our own
vegetables here at the hotel – all be it on a small scale at present.”
The Bannau Brycheiniog Chefs
Club is one of a growing number of clubs established in Wales. According to
restaurateur and food critic, Simon Wright, “Chef
Clubs are a great way to bring local chefs and producers together, find out
more about the range of local produce available in the region, and explore ways
to increase a region’s profile as a food destination”.
Such has been the success
of the inaugural meeting that those involved plan to meet again on Monday, May
14.
ENDS