FOOD & DRINK W H AT ’ S M A K I N G T H E G O U R M E T N E W S I N C A R D I F F
FEAST DAY
Students serve up a hospitality dinner with Cardiff’s award-winning The Clink restaurant
Asador 44 co-owners Owen and Tom Morgan: “We want to showcase our passion for Spanish food”
A TASTE OF SPAIN Building work starts on new Spanish restaurant Asador 44, the latest venture from the owners of Bar 44 Here’s the latest update on new Spanish concept restaurant, Asador 44, from Bar 44 co-owners and brothers, Owen and Tom Morgan. The first restaurant of its kind in Wales, and based on the northern Spanish-style of chargrilling the finest meat, fish and vegetables over charcoal and wood, the new venue promises an inclusive communal dining experience, with an in-house sommelier and a cheese cave... yep, a whole room dedicated to cheese.
Angela Gray at her cookery school, at Llanerch Vineyard
Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Hospitality Management students recently served up a delicious feast at an annual industry/education dinner, held at the university’s SA Brains hospitality suite in collaboration with award-winning city restaurant, The Clink. Based at HMP Cardiff, The Clink is staffed by prisoners working towards various City & Guilds NVQs, with the aim of gaining employment in the hospitality industry on their release. On the night, head chef Sebastien Vanoni mentored and worked with two prisoners from The Clink and Cardiff Met students. The experience provided students with an authentic, hands-on experience of working in a professional restaurant, and the menu included savoury baked cheesecake with thyme shortbread and cranberry relish; poached and roasted chicken with puy lentils, salsify and glazed carrots, with a thyme jus; and a dessert of Cox’s apple and comice pear tarte tartin with clotted cream. “As an organisation wholly dedicated to training, we were so pleased to collaborate on this event,” said Jason Lawrence, general manager of The Clink in Cardiff. “The event provided both the students at Cardiff Met and our prisoners in training a great opportunity to showcase their skills. We wish all students who took part all the best in progressing their careers.” For more: cardiffmet.ac.uk, theclinkcharity.org
“It’s a project driven by our passion and enthusiasm,” said Owen. “We want to offer something new and very authentic, showcasing all we know about Spanish food and culture, and to share our passion with our customers, offering them the really special dining experience that Asador cooking brings.” Asador 44 is expected to open by mid-March – follow @Asador44 on Twitter for updates
Students Charlotte Beech, Mpande Kampengele and head chef Sebastien Vanoni
GRAY DAYS Plenty going on at Angela Gray’s Cookery School at Llanerch Vineyard in Hensol... As usual, there’s an array of spring and summer courses available to book now. We like the sound of the Mediterranean Kitchen (7 May), where Angela teaches you how to make porchetta, hot-smoked on the barbecue for lunch – delish! – alongside a plethora of other one-day courses, skillbuilders, lunch clubs and chef nights. And if you’re stuck for Mother’s Day pressies
(see our *ahem* gift guide on page 42), you can always buy your ma a cookery school voucher, so she can treat herself to her session of choice. For something a little more instant, you’ll also find lots of inspiring recipes on her website, too – the pork, chorizo and white bean hotpot is calling... For more: angelagray.co.uk
www.mediaclash.co.uk I CARDIFF LIFE I 51