It’s been a while since I managed to get a new podcast episode out, but as Welsh hospitality begins to finally reopen indoors, now feels like the right time to start looking ahead.
In this episode, Matt Appleby and I speak to the founders of Cardiff’s latest burger venture, Ansh. We ask what it was like to commit to a bricks & mortar restaurant at the height of a global pandemic – when most similar businesses had been forced to close. Were these people just stark raving mad!?
The Ansh Story
Ansh is formed of a new partnership between Aled Hill and Shaun Jones. Aled, who is happiest at the stove, is a passionate cook who likes to combine his love of food with the ritual of feeding others. He first founded Ansh as a pop-up venture along with his wife Sara, and soon got to work taking over spaces like St Canna’s in Canton for one-off events.
Then, at the end of last year, Aled teamed up with fourth generation regenerative farmer & butcher, Shaun. As the owner proprietor of an award-winning butchery business (Oriel Jones) Shaun’s produce was already a core part of the Ansh offering; it comes directly from his family farm situated at the foothills of the Cambrian mountains where sustainable, ethical farming with high animal welfare standards are a priority.
Since combining their expertise, committing to bricks & mortar and launching a takeaway (whilst the restaurant was being refurbished) Shaun & Aled’s burgers have become to the talk of the town. And that’s before even being able to open the doors to sit-in customers.
In the words of local food blogger Gourmet Gorro, “there’s no doubt the (burgers) belong in the city’s top tier.”
Find out more by streaming the whole episode here, or listen via your usual podcast app.