DANIEL Saunders, chef and owner of The Gaff in Abergavenny, wants to feel jealous of his customers when they walk back into the restaurant. Only in that way will he know he and his team giving them the very best. 

Daniel, who is originally from Worcestershire, said: “I started cooking straight out of school, I didn’t do any of the college stuff as by the time I was 16 I’d had enough of class rooms and teachers. I just wanted to start earning and making my own way. 

“I worked in local pubs for a few years then went on to work with chef Pat McDonald, at Epic, in Bromsgrove, where I stayed for a few years. 

“After that I was at The Glasshouse where I first met Shaun Hill. The rest is pretty much history. When I found out Shaun had involvements with The Glasshouse and Worcester I knew I had to work there and learn from him. If it wasn’t for my constant pestering and emailing Shaun then I’m not sure where I would be now.

READ MORE:

YOUR PETS: Dogs, cats and even a tortoise from Gwent

A huge hello to Gwent's new babies

Marathons, triathlons, promises and a virtual gig are all part of being a Gwent charity champion

“I only got into cooking and decided I wanted to be a chef when I found out that the job I originally wanted to do, funeral director, entailed a lot of college, university and other education, which I didn’t want to do, so I stepped into the kitchen.

“What we do at The Gaff isn’t too different to anyone else really. We use the best produce, prepare it with care, cook it with love and serve it simply. The way we serve it is different from the standard three courses as we do small plates and it’s a way that we all enjoy eating. 

“It’s a way that you can try more different things rather than the standard three courses. It’s where a table of two can come in and order say six or seven dishes and try a range of different things that we do, and that we like and enjoy eating ourselves.

“Achievement wise so far we’ve done pretty well. We were included is this year’s Good Food Guide, which, after being open only three months or so, is a huge thing for us. Also we have had Michelin inspections. They have put us out on their social media. I’m not sure if anything will come from it but being recognised by them is a huge thing both for me and the team, who actually do most of the work.”

And what were you during lockdown?

Dan said: “We have been doing fresh produce boxes and fish boxes - we still wanted to showcase our amazing produce that we use in the restaurant, so this way customers could use the produce at home. We have also been doing a takeaway once a week (each week has a different theme) which has proven very popular.”

The courtyard was reopened on July 14 with all the necessary precautions in place - hand sanitizer stations around the restaurant, social distanced all tables, and a limited menu with new dishes as well as some favourites making a return. 

Dan said: “As long as restaurants follow the guide lines put in place for customer and staff safety, we think dining will return to a ‘new’ normal. We want to make their experience coming to The Gaff as relaxing and happy one and a way to escape from everyday life for a few hours, while enjoying some fantastic food.”

He said: “Working for Shaun Hill at The Walnut Tree was a big part of my career. I spent a lot of my time there, learned so much about food, techniques, flavours and what goes with what. It certainly helped me to become the cook I am today.

“The guidance, advice and knowledge from Shaun and Roger Brook, the previous chef, was, has been and still is, invaluable. I still speak to Shaun now, if there’s something I need advice on. He is a fantastic font of knowledge.

“I’m not really sure there is a style to our cooking as such at The Gaff. We have influences from all over, from countries that we have visited and restaurants we have eaten at. I could say it’s a global style possibly, if that’s a thing? We just cook food we like to eat and enjoy, and it seems the public are enjoying it too. 

“We make everything ourselves. If it’s on the menu, we have made it here. What’s the point in cooking if you just buy stuff in and sell it back on? There’s no love or passion in that, it just becomes a job then.

“To do this job you really have to enjoy cooking and being around food, otherwise it’s just pointless.

“When setting up The Gaff, we all said that we wanted to be jealous of each person that comes in to the restaurant. It’s a relaxed place. It’s not stuffy, there are no table cloths or a dress code - that’s not us. 

“People do moan we’re expensive but sometimes I think people forget that there has been a team of chefs in from 7.30am prepping fresh, raw ingredients and then cooking their dinner for them. Then someone takes it to their table, cleans up after them and then does the washing up. There are a lot of costly overheads in a restaurant and all that needs to be paid before we’re making any money. Not to mention the tax man! 

“It’s not a cheap place, but then we’re not expensive either. All our food is cooked fresh each day, from the best ingredients. We don’t reach in the freezer and pull out fish fingers, and cheap food isn’t good either. It’s really hard sometimes to get that across to folk but we’re working on it.

“We cook with the seasons. You won’t find any strawberries or asparagus in the winter months. We have a couple of really good local suppliers. Paul’s organic veg is only a couple of miles from The Gaff. His fruit and veg is incredible. We use the Welsh Venison Centre for lamb. 

“We get our pork from Richard Vaughan at Huntsham Farm in Ross, which is incredible produce. Ducks and chickens come from Creedy Carver in Devon, and all our fish and shellfish comes out of Brixham market, mostly off small day boaters.

“The Gaff is set in a courtyard, which in the summer is a great little place. It’s a real sun trap and has a really good feel to it, especially with a nice chilled glass of wine. If you close your eyes tight enough you can pretend you’re in the Med. 

“Before we took  on the building it was set into separate buildings and was falling apart. We went through about seven months of building work. It was pretty much built from scratch. It was done with the help of the landlord and an awesome architect, Jeremy Mead. The rest was us; we had no interior designer or nothing. We think it’s a great little space that’s light, airy and comfortable. 

“We even have a stream running at the back of the restaurant which you can see from the back dining room and me and my sous chef even built a waterfall there.

“Maybe going in to a readymade space in Cardiff, say, could have been easier but where’s the fun in that?

“Abergavenny was always the first place we had in our minds, with maybe more to follow. Bath perhaps?"