Hailing from South Wales, Tom Waters’ career has seen him boomerang to some of London’s top restaurants and back home again. With extensive experience in Michelin kitchens across the English capital, he is now the proud owner of his first restaurant, Gorse, which sits in the Cardiff suburb of Pontcanna. Here, he serves a concise menu showcasing the very best produce that Wales has to offer. The restaurant seats just 22 covers, the menu changes weekly, if not daily, and there’s a shiny red Michelin star proudly displayed beside the door.
Tom was something of a newcomer to hospitality, discovering the world of food while studying French during a year abroad in Paris. Exploring the city’s cobbled streets, he began trying different restaurants and experiencing new flavours - and by the time his year in Paris came to an end, his sights were set on becoming a chef.
With a sparse CV and no kitchen qualifications, Tom sent out a flurry of hopeful letters to highly acclaimed restaurants in London. Just two responded, one of which was Bryn Williams’ Odette, where Tom would take his first steps in the kitchen. Quick to rise through the ranks, he went on to work under legendary chef Phil Howard at The Square and Michelin-starred Bonhams in Mayfair, before spending three years at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck.
While life in the big smoke had served him well, Tom’s hometown came calling. At the time, the food scene in the Welsh capital was a far cry from what it is now, with more than enough chain restaurants and no Michelin stars - but Tom was determined to change that. Gorse started out as a pop-up, taking over cafes across Cardiff by night. Designed to feel like you’re eating in someone’s home, Tom’s intimate dining concept became the talk of the town, and after 18 months, it became a permanent restaurant. Just eight months after opening, Gorse had achieved something Cardiff had never seen before: a Michelin star. With impressive attention to detail, thoughtful customer service and some of Wales’ finest produce, the restaurant continues to draw in diners from far and wide.
If you want to know where else Tom deems worth travelling for, check out his favourite food spots below.
The Sportsman, Kent
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Tom says: 'The Sportsman is the kind of place that leaves such a lasting impression on you. The sourcing of ingredients is some of the best I've ever come across - the seafood and lamb are particularly good. It's a great example of what quality cooking, stripped back to the essentials, should be.'
Where: Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whistable, CT5 4BP
Book now: The Sportsman
Koya, London
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Tom says: 'I always seem to find myself here for breakfast after a night in London. The udon bowls are so nourishing, and I particularly like the ones with smoked mackerel. The broths are so pure and perfectly balanced that they take me back to travelling Japan.'
Where: 50 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4SQ
Book now: Koya
The Jackdaw, Conwy
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Tom says: 'The Jackdaw is a great example of what a modern Welsh restaurant should be. Nick is a fantastic chef and has created something really special near to where he grew up. He loves to tell the story of the landscape with some historical elements and dishes thrown in there for good measure.'
Where: High Street, Conwy, LL32 8DB
Book now: The Jackdaw
Le Suquet, Laguiole
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Tom says: 'Le Suquet epitomises time and place - it's where everything makes absolute sense. The provenance of ingredients is key and the cooking is extraordinary - some of the dishes are so pure and precise in flavour that they make you shake your head in disbelief. For me, it's where the penny dropped and I realised how special dining out can be.'
Where: Route de Laguiole, 12210 Laguiole, France
Book now: Le Suquet
Wright's Food Emporium, Carmarthen
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Tom says: 'Wright's is all about great Welsh cooking using local ingredients. The owner, Simon, has been in the area for over thirty years and was one of the first people to really champion the produce of Wales - he's someone that I really respect. '
Where: Llanarthney, Wales SA32 8JU
Book now: Wright's Food Emporium
Want to know more chef-recommended restaurants? Check out more favourite restaurant guides from Jacob Kennedy, Judy Joo and Moro's Sam and Sam Clark. You can also discover all the Michelin restaurants in the UK with our complete guide to the all-important star.