Native Welshman and globe-trotting fire chef Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts heads to Swansea for his next stop – a city which, believe it or not, he has never set foot in before!
He is joined on his tour by none other than the world’s most capped rugby player and now local rum producer, Alun Wyn Jones. With the stunning Oystermouth Castle as their backdrop, Chris fires up his barbecue and cooks a superb steak with a rum-infused peppercorn sauce, which they devour in moments. His trusty Flamebaster tool, of course, is essential to the process.
Before hooking up with Alun Wyn Jones, Chris’s culinary tour of Swansea takes him to several other local hotspots. His journey begins at Wales’ largest indoor market, where he discovers the delights of traditional faggots and meets the staff of Abrahams, a family business that has been selling them since 1921.
Next, a visit to see top chef Jonathan Woolway, at The Shed restaurant, where regional, seasonal produce is at the heart of every dish. Chris receives a special lesson in making one of the restaurant’s best-sellers: deep-fried croquettes made with local cockles.
Just on the outskirts of Swansea, Chris gets a privileged peek into a beef ageing chamber run by producer Olly Woolnough. Olly’s cuts of beef sell out in minutes every morning. Inside the chamber, the beef is matured with special Himalayan salt blocks that intensify the flavour and tenderise the meat.
There’s one final twist when it comes to cooking in Swansea: Gigi Gao’s Favourite Authentic Chinese serves up food mostly from the Shanzi province, close to the northern Chinese border. Run by owner and chef Gigi, it’s a place where East meets Welsh. Chris samples a multitude of amazing dishes to get inspiration for his final cookout: Eastern-inspired faggots – a brand new dish that’s local, traditional and modern, all rolled into one.
This episode is available to watch on Friday, 7 February on BBC One Wales, 7:30pm. All episodes are available to view on BBC iPlayer.
