Latest news with #Rob
Wales Online
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Popular restaurant in North Wales village expands with new Airbnb
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A couple who defied the odds and survived after opening their restaurant not long before Covid struck are expanding with an Airbnb rental. Talented chef Rob Dowell-Brown and his wife, Vicky, who run the Nant y Felin, in Llanrhaeadr YC, between Ruthin and Denbigh, were not eligible for financial support from the Government when the world went into lockdown. But the resourceful duo used the difficulty and weathered the storm by turning their hand to providing greatly appreciated take away meals for the community. Now Vicky has also taken on a two-bedroom apartment, Min y Maes, behind the property, effectively turning Nant y Felin into a restaurant with rooms. Rob, born in Elgin in North East Scotland, has a distinguished CV after working in AA Rosette restaurants in the West Country where he was brought up, the Home Counties, Scotland, the Scilly Isles. More locally, he has also tantalised taste buds at the Kinmel Manor in Abergele and the White Horse, Hendrerewydd, in the Vale of Clwyd. He has cooked for celebrities like John Cleese, Nigel Mansell, Frankie Howerd, Alan Titchmarsh and Maureen Lipman and as a trainee YTS chef was featured on GMTV's breakfast show in the 1990s. He said: 'John Cleese is from Weston Super Mare and Frankie Howerd also lived in Somerset when I was working there – Cleese would often do odd things like wear one sock. I had wanted to be a music teacher but didn't get the grades and when I left school at 16 I started to train as a chef on the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) getting £29.50 a week – my mum took £15. It was a harsh environment but it made me realistic about work – 29 of us started the YTS course and I was one of just three who finished it.' He met Vicky, from Ruthin, while working at the White Horse when she went along with her dad Bryn Dowell, there for an open mic folk music night and the couple – who both play guitar - now have a seven-year-old son, Billy. Things were particularly tough for them when the pandemic happened just over a year after they took over the Nant y Felin in 2018 and before they had the chance to build up the financial records needed to claim Government help. (Image: Mandy Jones) Rob said: 'We didn't really have any option other than to try and make a go of it by offering pizzas made in our proper pizza oven – the garden was overgrown and included three 40-foot leylandii spruce which provided fuel for the oven. We made sure all of our takeaway meals were served hot and to restaurant standard - allowing customers to enjoy a real treat at home when the UK was in lockdown" 'They proved very popular and on Father's Day we served 116 meals and at weekends it would be 70 a night and even in the week we were doing 30 or 40 a day and it's something we have continued ever since. 'We are always keen to try new ideas. We run our own open mic music nights on the third Wednesday of every month and I have been a forager for 20 years, finding edible plants and fungi and have done foraging walks. 'I did one in Denbigh for chef Chris Roberts, the Flamebaster chef on S4C and BBC Wales, and managed to find seven or eight ingredients to go with his open-fire cooking.' Nant y Felin fan Mario Kreft, from Denbigh, and his wife Gill, have a regular order for a takeaway Sunday lunch. He said: 'We discovered Rob's cooking during Covid when we were so busy but couldn't go anywhere and it was such a godsend to be able to enjoy his fantastic food at home on a Sunday after a difficult week. They literally stepped up to the plate, becoming honorary Covid warriors and providing an important community service. 'Rob and Vicky are a brilliant partnership. Their food is wonderful and we've also become regulars at the restaurant.' Vicky added: 'People found out about us in Covid and that got our names out there and that's something we've continued. So we are always looking at ways of increasing our offer so when our landlord, Huw Howatson, said that the two-bedroomed self-catering flat adjoining the restaurant was available Vicky decided to take the plunge and do it up. 'It's now on Airbnb and has hosted its first guest, someone from Canada who has relatives in the area, and we're hoping it will become a destination in its own right perhaps for people who want to go foraging. 'It's dog-friendly and so is the restaurant because it's all about being adaptable to people's needs to make the business more versatile.' Rob said: 'Since taking over at Nant y Felin, we have had to turn our hands to all sorts of things, from plumbing to joinery – I've made a lot of the furniture here and even our latest venture, turning an old fridge into a smoker. 'At the same time we're creating our own eco-system, putting food waste back into the garden whenever possible. 'We've also opened up the bar to customers who just want to come in and have a drink and we're employing 12 people here in the restaurant and most of us speak Welsh. 'Our menu changes virtually daily depending on what our suppliers have for us whether that's Vicky's uncle, Clwyd Dowell, at CLD Meats or the Vale Grocer, both in Denbigh, able to tell us exactly where their produce comes from or our fishmonger in Fleetwood . 'If they've got something special then we adapt the menu accordingly so we believe in using local produce even if we like to give it a twist. The idea is to go back to nature but using my skills as a fine dining chef to create something special.' That's true of Rob's signature dessert with tender young nettle leaves grown in the garden and harvested at the cost of a few stings before being transformed into a trio of nettle cheesecake, topped with a red nettle jelly and accompanied by deep pink nettle sorbet and garnished with ox-eye daisy and blue cornflowers. Vicky added: "The Nant y Felin really has become something very special to us. We are able to provide a service by cooking lovely produce for the local and wider community. 'We're a friendly place for people to just pop in and have a drink in the bar, it's a place where friends come to see us and most importantly, it's home for us, our son, Billy and our two lovely spaniels. 'Building all of this up over the last seven years is an achievement we're proud of and are looking forward to the future of the Nant y Felin." Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
North Wales Live
a day ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Popular restaurant in North Wales village expands with new Airbnb
A couple who defied the odds and survived after opening their restaurant not long before Covid struck are expanding with an Airbnb rental. Talented chef Rob Dowell-Brown and his wife, Vicky, who run the Nant y Felin, in Llanrhaeadr YC, between Ruthin and Denbigh, were not eligible for financial support from the Government when the world went into lockdown. But the resourceful duo used the difficulty and weathered the storm by turning their hand to providing greatly appreciated take away meals for the community. Now Vicky has also taken on a two-bedroom apartment, Min y Maes, behind the property, effectively turning Nant y Felin into a restaurant with rooms. Rob, born in Elgin in North East Scotland, has a distinguished CV after working in AA Rosette restaurants in the West Country where he was brought up, the Home Counties, Scotland, the Scilly Isles. More locally, he has also tantalised taste buds at the Kinmel Manor in Abergele and the White Horse, Hendrerewydd, in the Vale of Clwyd. He has cooked for celebrities like John Cleese, Nigel Mansell, Frankie Howerd, Alan Titchmarsh and Maureen Lipman and as a trainee YTS chef was featured on GMTV's breakfast show in the 1990s. He said: 'John Cleese is from Weston Super Mare and Frankie Howerd also lived in Somerset when I was working there – Cleese would often do odd things like wear one sock. I had wanted to be a music teacher but didn't get the grades and when I left school at 16 I started to train as a chef on the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) getting £29.50 a week – my mum took £15. It was a harsh environment but it made me realistic about work – 29 of us started the YTS course and I was one of just three who finished it.' He met Vicky, from Ruthin, while working at the White Horse when she went along with her dad Bryn Dowell, there for an open mic folk music night and the couple – who both play guitar - now have a seven-year-old son, Billy. Things were particularly tough for them when the pandemic happened just over a year after they took over the Nant y Felin in 2018 and before they had the chance to build up the financial records needed to claim Government help. Rob said: 'We didn't really have any option other than to try and make a go of it by offering pizzas made in our proper pizza oven – the garden was overgrown and included three 40-foot leylandii spruce which provided fuel for the oven. We made sure all of our takeaway meals were served hot and to restaurant standard - allowing customers to enjoy a real treat at home when the UK was in lockdown" 'They proved very popular and on Father's Day we served 116 meals and at weekends it would be 70 a night and even in the week we were doing 30 or 40 a day and it's something we have continued ever since. 'We are always keen to try new ideas. We run our own open mic music nights on the third Wednesday of every month and I have been a forager for 20 years, finding edible plants and fungi and have done foraging walks. 'I did one in Denbigh for chef Chris Roberts, the Flamebaster chef on S4C and BBC Wales, and managed to find seven or eight ingredients to go with his open-fire cooking.' Nant y Felin fan Mario Kreft, from Denbigh, and his wife Gill, have a regular order for a takeaway Sunday lunch. He said: 'We discovered Rob's cooking during Covid when we were so busy but couldn't go anywhere and it was such a godsend to be able to enjoy his fantastic food at home on a Sunday after a difficult week. They literally stepped up to the plate, becoming honorary Covid warriors and providing an important community service. 'Rob and Vicky are a brilliant partnership. Their food is wonderful and we've also become regulars at the restaurant.' Vicky added: 'People found out about us in Covid and that got our names out there and that's something we've continued. So we are always looking at ways of increasing our offer so when our landlord, Huw Howatson, said that the two-bedroomed self-catering flat adjoining the restaurant was available Vicky decided to take the plunge and do it up. 'It's now on Airbnb and has hosted its first guest, someone from Canada who has relatives in the area, and we're hoping it will become a destination in its own right perhaps for people who want to go foraging. 'It's dog-friendly and so is the restaurant because it's all about being adaptable to people's needs to make the business more versatile.' Rob said: 'Since taking over at Nant y Felin, we have had to turn our hands to all sorts of things, from plumbing to joinery – I've made a lot of the furniture here and even our latest venture, turning an old fridge into a smoker. 'At the same time we're creating our own eco-system, putting food waste back into the garden whenever possible. 'We've also opened up the bar to customers who just want to come in and have a drink and we're employing 12 people here in the restaurant and most of us speak Welsh. 'Our menu changes virtually daily depending on what our suppliers have for us whether that's Vicky's uncle, Clwyd Dowell, at CLD Meats or the Vale Grocer, both in Denbigh, able to tell us exactly where their produce comes from or our fishmonger in Fleetwood . 'If they've got something special then we adapt the menu accordingly so we believe in using local produce even if we like to give it a twist. The idea is to go back to nature but using my skills as a fine dining chef to create something special.' That's true of Rob's signature dessert with tender young nettle leaves grown in the garden and harvested at the cost of a few stings before being transformed into a trio of nettle cheesecake, topped with a red nettle jelly and accompanied by deep pink nettle sorbet and garnished with ox-eye daisy and blue cornflowers. Vicky added: "The Nant y Felin really has become something very special to us. We are able to provide a service by cooking lovely produce for the local and wider community. 'We're a friendly place for people to just pop in and have a drink in the bar, it's a place where friends come to see us and most importantly, it's home for us, our son, Billy and our two lovely spaniels. 'Building all of this up over the last seven years is an achievement we're proud of and are looking forward to the future of the Nant y Felin."
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Dorset's highest-rated café has the 'best coffee ever'
Fika Bournemouth, which is located on Westover Road, has been highly praised by visitors. After analysing cafés in the area for their Tripadvisor scores (needing a minimum of 50 reviews for inclusion), it ended up being top of the pile. Fika Bournemouth has earned a perfect 5/5 score on the review site from 173 ratings, with 170 of those being 'Excellent'. Why is Fika Bournemouth Dorset's highest-rated café? On its Facebook page, Fila Bournemouth describes itself as a small coffee shop with a "big heart". It aims to foster a welcoming atmosphere and is also an establishment that is dog-friendly. They serve their own signature blend of coffee and work with several local bakers to provide their sweet treats. Fika Bournemouth's profile on Tripadvisor reads: "A moment to slow down and enjoy the little things in life, such as coffee with friends and something sweet. "We are a small independent coffee shop with a big heart. Serving our own signature blend of coffee and work with some of the best bakers in town, get here early to get your hands on the cinnamon buns! Very dog friendly." The establishment has also opened its doors to customers on Christmas Day for the past four years to provide a community space for anyone who might be lonely during the season. What do visitors think of Fika Bournemouth? As indicated by its Tripadvisor rating, most visitors absolutely adore Fika Bournemouth, praising it for its coffee, service and more. One person wrote: "Best coffee ever!!!! Not only the coffee is perfect, owner and his best pal, Waffle, are super friendly and made my day complete. "Pistachio creme cookies are too good. I would recommend to everyone who loves good coffee in a lovely environment." Recommended reading: Another shared: "The shop is small and intimate compared to most coffee shops these days. It has a lovely ambiance and just feels very homely. "Rob and the staff are very friendly and you instantly fell at home, but with superb coffee." A third commented: "Amazing warm cinnamon bun and carrot cake. Very friendly staff - made to feel very welcome . Great coffee too - highly recommended."
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Legendary 80s Metal Band's Founding Guitarist Reimagines Iconic Debut Album Track
K.K. Downing, the founding guitarist of the legendary 80s metal band Judas Priest, has released a brand new version of the band's hit track "Never Satisfied" from their 1974 debut album Rocka Rolla - and the newly recorded version of the song also includes former Priest vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens. "We just had fun in a spare bedroom, trying to create something different," Downing, 73, recently told Ultimate Classic Rock in an interview about the song, reminiscing about writing it with the band's original lead vocalist, Al Atkins. "We wrote quite a lot of stuff and then we went on the road. In my memory, 'Never Satisfied' was always in the set. When Al left and Rob [Halford] joined, then we were on the road for at least a couple of years. We had the song in the set [at that time] with Rob singing it as well." Last year, the band reissued Rocka Rolla in honor of its 50th anniversary and included a full remix of the entire album - which, in turn, got Downing back into the band's first output. From there, the idea to rerecord the song just came naturally to him. "I thought, 'I'm just going to plug the guitar in and have a go at jamming along to a couple of these songs,'" he told the outlet. "I just had fun doing it and I thought I would put the track down and ask Ripper if he'd do the courtesy of throwing a vocal on there. It came about really quickly and it was fun." For Owens' part, he wanted to really honor the original track as much as possible, particularly in the way it was recorded. "It's really cool," the singer, 57, explained to Ultimate Classic Rock in a separate interview. "It's me singing it, but staying true to the melodies. I changed a little bit, added a little bit of rasp [and] some high notes." The vocalist hopes that this new version will lead to more rerecordings in the future - and there's a lot to mine there, if they go down that route. "I said, 'Ken, let's record the whole damn thing. I don't care, let's have fun,'" Owens told the outlet. "You want to do 'Rocka Rolla,' okay. 'Run of the Mill' [would be fun]. I've always wanted to do 'Cheater,' because I felt the guitar with more balls [would be good]. I think he's just having some fun and there'll be some more coming, I hope." Interestingly enough, the band's 1974 debut and their 1976 follow-up Sad Wings of Destiny were owned by the band's original label, Gull Records, for nearly 50 years, as the band broke their contract with the label to move to CBS Records in 1977. Because of that, they were unable to do anything with the music from those albums as they were not the rights holders. However, Gull sold the masters and publishing to Reach Music and Exciter Records in partnership with the band in 2022, which allowed the band's longtime producer, Tom Allom, to oversee the remixing of Rocka Rolla that was released for the album's major milestone anniversary. Allom will also oversee the remixing of Sad Wings of Destiny for an upcoming 50th anniversary rerelease. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Ryan Reynolds: None of us are defined by our worst moments
Ryan Reynolds doesn't pay attention to his online critics. The 48-year-old actor and Blake Lively, his wife, are currently involved in a high-profile legal dispute with actor Justin Baldoni, but Ryan insists that he doesn't pay too much attention to the online discourse. Asked whether the online negativity impacts his business ventures, Ryan told Time magazine: "I can read something that says, 'He should be drawn and quartered.' I could read something that says I should win a Nobel Prize. Both are meaningless. "None of us are comprised of our best moments. None of us are defined by our worst moments. We are something in the middle." Ryan has found a healthy way of dealing with the scrutiny during his time in the spotlight. The Hollywood star - who has been married to Blake since 2012 - explained: "Accessibility and accountability are a big part of how I do things. "The people that I work with know me, so there's never a question of anything like that. If you operate with some degree of core values and integrity, they're going to help you up. If you're an a******, they're not. And that's pretty simple." Ryan's attitude has been shaped by "conflict-resolution workshops" that he previously attended. The Deadpool star said: "I skipped rehab in my 20s and decided to go to conflict-resolution workshops in Santa Fe. "Conflict resolution changed my life in a way that I can't quantify. You don't have to agree with the person. You can empathise, you can validate. You can do all those things and get closer to them without having to just blindly agree or win or lose." In 2020, Ryan and his showbiz pal Rob McElhenney became the co-owners of Wrexham AFC, a soccer club based in north Wales. The duo have helped to transform the fortunes of the team, and Rob appreciates Ryan's support and ambition. Rob said: "Ryan's involvement took this from a very small endeavour to a very large endeavour overnight because he has the ability to connect with millions and millions of people. And I don't just mean on social media. I mean spiritually."
