A Welsh chef who has worked in some of the country's most renowned kitchens has launched an impressive multi-course pop-up that is being served out of a coffee shop co-owned by one of Cardiff's best chefs Thomas Simmons and Wales rugby star George North.
Tom Waters, 31, from Newport, has had a pretty impressive career so far, having worked under Bryn Williams at his London restaurant Odettes before moving onto The Square where the kitchen is headed up by Phil Howard who has two Michelin stars. Adding to his already impressive CV, he then moved on to Mayfair's Bonhams before joining the leadership team at Heston Blumthal's The Fat Duck.
In March 2021, Tom decided to move back to his homeland with dreams of opening his own restaurant, but as a result of the cost of living crisis and aftermath of the pandemic causing a lot of uncertainty in the hospitality industry, he decided to create pop-up restaurant Gorse.
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Its website says: "The offering at Gorse is driven by the abundance of incredible produce the UK has to offer. Combined with exacting technique and attention to detail, Gorse is all about delivering simple, flavour-centric food in an unpretentious and relaxed environment."
First trialling his cooking at Glory Stores, Little Man Coffee Company and Waterloo Tea for several weeks at a time - and rather successfully - now, he is settling down at Tom Simmons' Ground Bakery in Cardiff for an extended residency which will serve up "flavour-centric food served in an unpretentious and relaxed environment".
The venue gives punters a window - quite literally - into the food that's being prepared for them and watch the culinary show with a front row seat. Each dish on the menu is prepared single-handedly and lovingly by Tom himself for just 18 customers each night.
Of this menu, he said: "I love cooking with British and wherever possible, Welsh produce, always using the very best of what’s in season. I work closely with suppliers that I trust who can tell me what’s at its peak – and then each menu is designed to make the most of those ingredients.”
And while a lot of pop-ups are restricted in what they can offer people with dietary requirements, Tom's aim is to be inclusive of all diners' needs.
He said: "I just want people to enjoy the food and have a great time whether they are vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, or anything else, so I can make changes to accommodate any preferences people have. My aim is to make Gorse as inclusive and enjoyable as possible for anyone who wants to try my food."
Although his dream of having his own permament restaurant has not been quashed by the current economic climate, his Gorse residency at Ground Bakery will run every Friday and Saturday night for the forseeable future. For more information, see the website.
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