Home to the range
After eight years in the Royal Navy and a stint working with Brian Turner in London, Kevin Williams is happy to be back in his native rural Wales. It's nearly a year since the 26-year-old took up the post of head chef at Castell Malgwyn hotel in Llechryd, a small town straddling the River Teifi in west Wales.
"It's brilliant to be back in my home town," he says. "People can see that I'm one of the home boys who has come back. It means I get a lot of local support. My priority has been to sort out the menu and source as much produce as possible from local suppliers of good-quality fresh ingredients."
And this has become his defining stamp. The menu at the 34-seat Gowers restaurant changes monthly but always shows a strong bent towards home-grown Celtic food. Williams, who with sous chef Melanie Commons makes up a brigade of two, praises Taste of Wales for its help in leading him to some reliable and high-quality suppliers, such as cheese producer Caws Cymiu and a range of farmers in the nearby Pembrokeshire National Park. He also uses Castell Howard Foods, which he describes as a Welsh equivalent of Brake Bros. "Part of the secret," he says, "is to source fresh, locally grown and reared produce and then to ensure that it arrives early every day. You really have to be on your toes."
On his most recent menu, the best-selling starter among the average of 85 covers per week is a smoked salmon and laverbread omelette (£7.95). This is a one-egg omelette laced with smoked salmon and local laverbread and served with a saffron and cockle beurre blanc. The mains dish which is proving to be by far the most popular is a poached fillet of fresh Teifi sewin (sea trout) from one of the local coracle-style boats, served on a root vegetable rémoulade with a citrus vinaigrette (£15.95).
The hotel, set in 48 acres, boasts one-and-a-half miles of private fishing along the adjacent River Teifi, and Williams says that much of the brown trout and salmon landed by local fishermen is sold immediately to him. Advertising the hotel in specialist anglers' magazines ensures that this sector is a reliable backbone for the business, which is owned by Andrew and Pauline Lester and managed by Philip Smith. However, the target market also includes business people during the week, over-50 couples at weekends, and passing tourist traffic. Average spend per head is currently £35-£40 including beverages.
The selection of desserts numbers just three but sports a strong native theme in the form of Welsh cakes, which are like griddle cakes. The traditional bara brith is akin to a fruit cake but soaked in tea.
A selection from the menu at Gowers Restaurant
Gazpacho Andaluz - smooth, chilled tomato soup garnished with cucumber, red pepper and ice, £4.75
Pressed terrine of pheasant suprême and ham hock, layered with black pudding on summer lettuce with rowan berry jelly, £5.95
Twice-baked Pantysgawn soufflé of Welsh goats' cheese with mixed salad leaves and a leek and gooseberry salsa, £6.10
Baked chump chop of Welsh lamb brushed with basil pesto and served on a pine kernel-dotted jus, £13.75
Escalope of pan-fried pork with sage, herb and garlic, served on an apple champ with an elderflower jus, £14.95
Filo pastry strudel filled with apricot, Quorn and feta cheese with a duo of pepper rouille sauce, £14.50
Honey, raspberry and parsley charlotte, £4.50
Bara brith and butter pudding, £4.50
Tian of Welsh cakes, £4.50
Castell Malgwyn Hotel, Llechryd, Cardigan AS43 2QA. Tel: 01239 682382. Web site:www.castellmalgwyn.co.uk
