7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business News Wales
Welsh Chef Goes Global with TV Series Sales to Australia and Georgia
A BBC Wales series featuring a Welsh chef has been sold to broadcasters in Australia and Georgia.
BAFTA Cymru winner Chris Roberts' series, Chris Cooks Cymru, was shown earlier this year. The six-part series sees Chris travel across the country, tasting what each region has to offer and cooking up meals in different locations using a variety of cookery methods but specialising in the use of charcoal.
Chris said:
'It's amazing the reaction we've had to the series in which I've travelled to places in Wales I've never visited before and finding out about local traditions and foods and meeting some fantastic people.
'It's really next level stuff and the series being sold to SBS in Australia and the Georgian channel is the icing on the cake.'
Made by Caernarfon-based production company Cwmni Da, a second series of Chris Cooks Cymru has already been commissioned. Planning is underway for the filming over the summer with the series due to be aired on BBC Wales early next year.
'I'm preparing for the second series which we'll film in the summer after a trip to Japan for a series that will be shown on S4C in the run-up to Christmas,' said Chris.
Japan, added Chris, has been one of his 'bucket-list' destinations for a long time.
'I've never been there before but I've been wanting to visit for as long as I can remember. The food there is fantastic and they're well known for their fish cookery but they're just as well-known for their cooking with fire and the Wagyu beef is out of this world.
'I'm looking forward to visiting, finding out more about their country and their traditions, eating sushi and yakitori and other regional speciality dishes. It's going to be an epic trip.'
Cwmni Da producer Aneurin Thomas, who has worked with Chris for several years, said:
'We started off quite simply making short films for the Hansh strand on S4C, featuring everything from cooking stunning steaks over fire to showcasing incredible local seafood.
'Hansh is a platform for young people in Wales to express themselves, and even back then, Chris' energy and talent were unmistakable.
'Since then, we've travelled together filming in Wales, New York, Scandinavia and Spain.
'It's a real pleasure working with him – he's not only a brilliant chef, but a great friend. What you see on screen is exactly what you get: a down to earth guy with a genuine passion for food and people.'
Chris said:
'I just love what I'm doing but it's more than just me. I'm celebrating the butchers, fishmongers, growers, producers, and farmers of Wales — they're my superheroes. I want to shine a light on the incredible work they do behind our phenomenal produce.'
The first Chris Cooks Cymru series can be streamed on BBC iPlayer until the autumn of 2025. Siwrna Scandi Chris and Chris' programmes about his visit to Spain last year can be streamed on S4C/Clic.
