From Welsh TV to Welshcakes: The Story of the Woman Who Put Welsh Food on the Map

From Welsh TV to Welshcakes: The Story of the Woman Who Put Welsh Food on the Map

Wales is a land rich in song, story, and stunning landscapes, yet for many years, a crucial part of its heritage remained quietly overlooked: its own distinctive cuisine. Loving Welsh Food (LWF) was born from a passion to change that, transforming the act of eating into a powerful way to connect with the very soul of the country.

This is the story of how a former global tour guide and broadcaster transitioned from reading the news and producing environmental documentaries to pioneering a delicious movement celebrating Welsh identity.

From Camera Lens to Culinary Compass

Sian Roberts, founder of Loving Welsh Food, enjoyed a fascinating and varied professional life, initially working as a tour guide before pursuing a long-held ambition to work in broadcasting. Speaking Welsh was instrumental in landing an initial role as a Newsreader. This led to television and corporate work as a Presenter/Producer, including a rewarding role presenting and producing “Grass Roots,” ITV’s environmental programme, and working on many projects focused on tourism and food tourism.

The decision to transition away from the anti-social hours common in TV and tourism came when starting a family, prompting Sian’s move to freelance work. This freelance journey led to a significant 25-year tenure as a TV Continuity Announcer for S4C.

Crucially, this period also saw Sian begin working alongside Nerys Howell and the WDA/Welsh government to promote Welsh food and drink. They traveled internationally to various embassies, showcasing Welsh produce and cuisine. Locally, through the WDA’s True Taste campaign, they brought a mobile kitchen to events and supermarkets, demonstrating traditional and contemporary recipes and handing out information.

It was during this promotion work that the “lightbulb moment” occurred: Sian was shocked to realize how little people knew about Welsh food and heritage, both abroad and, surprisingly, within Wales and Great Britain. Despite the nation embracing other global cuisines, its own culinary traditions were often ignored.

Driven by a desire to share this rich, overlooked history, Sian first launched a series of DVDs, Coginio – Traditional Welsh Recipes and Regional Welsh Recipes. As a result of the DVDs, requests for talks, presentations, and demos flooded in. While researching for these events, Sian discovered the concept of food tours. Since no one else was offering them in Cardiff, the idea blossomed: Why not try running some here?. Thus, Loving Welsh Food was born, aimed at showcasing Welsh food heritage and Wales to the world in a delicious way.

The initial challenge was simply getting the word out, as food tours were a well-known concept in places like the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but entirely new to Great Britain. Fortunately, the scene has since evolved significantly, and while LWF remains the only company offering tours in Cardiff, the concept has become much more familiar.

The Loving Welsh Food Experience: A Story on the Move

A Loving Welsh Food tour is far more than just sampling snacks; it’s a leisurely stroll that acts as a fantastic way to either discover or re-visit a city.

Guests follow a local guide from one independent venue to the next, passing Cardiff landmarks along the way. The local guides weave in personal stories about living in Cardiff, making the tour a warm, intimate experience. They discuss Welsh Food heritage and cuisine in general, alongside the history of Cardiff and Wales. The food itself allows the conversation to touch on the country’s geography, traditional eating habits, current production, and traditions.

Championing Independent Gems

A key element of the LWF mission is the commitment to working only with independent businesses that offer Welsh food and drink. The route is carefully mapped out to ensure logistics and timings are perfect, balancing sweet and savoury stops. Guests are constantly delighted by the “hidden gems” they discover.

Ty Caws in Castle Arcade is a perennial favourite. The staff offer stories about the business and their cheeses, presenting a great selection of Welsh Cheeses.

Bacareto, a Venetian bar in the heart of Cardiff, is another treasured stop. Guests love the story behind the venue, especially the fact that it operates as a social enterprise, providing well-paid work to artists. The arancini and wine served here are always a big hit.

Tastes of Tradition

Sian firmly believes that when visiting a new place, guests are eager to try something they can only get in that city or country. On the tours, guests are introduced to unique staples that tell a profound story:

• Cockles and Laverbread: This combination is featured on all Welsh Food Tours. While Sian notes that laverbread “will never win an award for presentation” (it looks like cooked spinach), guests love trying a unique delicacy that can only be truly enjoyed here in Wales.
• Welsh Rarebit/Welsh Rabbit: This classic dish is also a tour highlight, and it comes with an amusing story. One popular theory for the name suggests that when men returned from rabbit hunting empty-handed, the women of the house would have to “make rabbit” out of cheese on toast instead!

Cultural Celebrations: Food, Poetry, and Song

Beyond the walking tours, LWF curates special evenings that serve as the perfect introduction to the country. The Taste of Wales events at the Welsh House in Cardiff offer a delicious, wholesome, and generous 3-course meal inspired by traditional Welsh dishes using great Welsh ingredients.

Menu options are a celebration of Welsh flavour, including Welsh cider and onion soup topped with Golden Cenarth Cheese, or Leek and Welsh Cheddar Welshcakes. Main courses feature The Welsh House Shepherd’s pie, or traditional lamb Cawl (a stew/soup considered the national dish of Wales).

Following the meal, the evening features light-hearted entertainment, loosely based on the traditional Music, Poems & Pints evening. It includes beautiful and well-known music, not-too-serious poetry, the ever-popular ‘Welshisms,’ and a lively limerick competition sponsored by Penderyn Distillery.

Looking Ahead: New Ways to Connect

The modern Welsh food scene has grown “hugely” since LWF began, meaning more and more venues are opening and offering Welsh food and drink.

To continue developing new ways to share this heritage, LWF has recently launched Welshcake Workshops. Collaborating with TV Chef and author Nerys Howell, these workshops are held in the beautiful Tabernacle Chapel, a Grade II* listed Welsh-language Baptist chapel in the city centre. Guests learn how to make their own Welshcakes while hearing about Welsh food heritage in a relaxed, fun environment.

Sian’s long-term vision is simply to continue developing new tours and experiences and running events more regularly, leveraging a great team that can offer tours in French, Italian, German, and Welsh.

The True Takeaway

Ultimately, the hope is that every visitor leaves the tour not just with a full stomach, but with a deeper insight into life in Cardiff and Wales. By meeting the guides and experiencing the city firsthand, guests enjoy a personal tour and, perhaps most importantly, the warm welcome that Wales is famous for. They may not remember every Welsh word they learn, but they will hopefully carry fond memories of a truly tasty and interesting journey.

If you are keen to experience this unique blend of history, culture, and flavour, information about bespoke tours, experiences, and booking is available directly via the Loving Welsh Food website.

To book a tour or purchase gift vouchers, visit the Loving Welsh Food website, or contact info@lovingwelshfood.uk for bespoke experiences.