Gorse Restaurant by Chef Tom Waters

Having earned his stripes in prestigious London kitchens, including stints at Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck, The Square and Bonhams, Chef Tom Waters returned to his Welsh roots just over two years ago to launch his own restaurant concept, Gorse.

Originally hailing from Newport, but with long-held ambitions to open a restaurant in the Welsh capital, I started working with Tom when Gorse was a still pop-up affair - taking over the kitchen at Ground Bakery in Pontcanna on Friday and Saturday nights.

Though Cardiff locals had no prior knowledge of Tom, it wasn’t long before his ‘Modern Welsh’ tasting menus started winning over hearts, minds and bellies - landing rave reviews from local food bloggers and press (including Wales Online, Cardiff Life Magazine and Buzz Magazine).

Then, in May 2024, the transformation of a former coffee shop in Pontcanna saw Gorse find its permanent home. Here, Tom brought to life his vision for a sleek, open plan kitchen and modern, intimate dining room - where guests can sit back and watch him calmly and meticulously assemble each of his 5, 7 and 10 course tasting menus.

Inevitably, Tom’s rapid rise began attracting attention from the wider media, with the likes of Restaurant Magazine, Hardens and The Caterer covering his debut opening - also highlighted on social media by Visit Wales.

With Tom’s credentials now firmly established, I started working with local photographer and videographer Will Barker to develop the social storytelling around Gorse - using Instagram as a channel to really explain what his ‘Modern Welsh’ approach is all about.

Gorse is now a regular inclusion in ‘Best Restaurant’ guides (e.g. Olive Magazine, Wales Online), whilst a shortlisting in Restaurant Magazine’s ‘2024 Chef’s To Watch’ and Gorse’s inclusion in the Michelin guide after just eight months of opening further cemented Tom’s reputation as one of the best chefs in Wales.

It has been amazing watching Tom as he remained unwavering in his vision for Gorse - and on February 10th 2025, he only went and got the first Michelin star in the Welsh capital. Bloody well done, Tom!