Double delight at awards for chef James Sommerin
RESTAURANTS, takeaways, cafés and producers throughout Wales have been recognised in the fourth annual Food Awards Wales.
More than 300 guests attended a ceremony at the Exchange Hotel in Cardiff on Monday night, when the winners, chosen by the public, were announced.
Several of the awards were split into local regions to ensure the diverse range of businesses from across Wales are recognised for their hard work.
And it was a double win for Restaurant James Sommerin in Penarth, which took the titles Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year.
They were just the latest accolades for the seafront restaurant, which has gained a Michelin star, as well as winning the AA Hospitality Awards’ Restaurant of the Year for Wales 2016-2017.
The restaurant, which has rooms for guests to stay over, serves an à la carte menu featuring the finest locally sourced ingredients and dishes include starters of lobster and wood pigeon and mains like wild sea bass and partridge.
There’s also a six-course tasting menu for £65 and a nine-course tasting menu for £85 and both can be paired with wine.
As far as Sommerin is concerned, he was previously at Monmouth’s The Crown at Whitebrook for 13 years, prior to it closing in early 2013, and won his first Michelin stars there, retaining it for seven years.
Other big winners at the Food Wales Awards 2018 include Cobbles Kitchen at Ogmore-by-Sea, which won the overall Restaurant of the Year title; The Plough and Harrow in Swansea (overall Gastro Pub of the Year); Oxwich Bay Hotel in Swansea (overall Hotel Restaurant of the Year) and Pethau Da in Carmarthen (overall Cafe/Bistro of the year).