A little bit of Wales is about to open on Liverpool’s famous docks next year.
Lerpwl - the Welsh name for Liverpool - is the latest restaurant from the award-winning Barrie brothers.
Ellis and Liam Barrie, who originally hail from Liverpool but forged their restaurant credentials in Wales, started in the industry in 2009 when they were only 19 and 21. They moved to Anglesey when their parents bought a caravan park and they took over running the site’s greasy spoon.
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After a couple of years they transformed the White Lodge Cafe into a gourmet bistro called The Marram Grass - inspired by the local practice of harvesting the grass to weave baskets and mats. It soon built up an enthusiastic following amongst diners and critics.
An appearance on Channel 4’s Hidden Restaurants saw the bistro transformed into a hugely successful business with more than 2,000 covers a week and it was hailed as one of the most exciting young restaurant businesses in the 海角视频.
Since then The Marram Grass has won numerous national industry awards including 2 AA Rosettes in 2018 and a prestigious Good Food Guide entry.
Chef Ellis has competed on the BBC show Great British Menu twice, his fish course, ‘Bun in the Oven, in 2018 made the final. He was recently named as one of the chefs for the relaunch of the TV show Ready, Steady, Cook.
Ellis had initially been taught to cook by his grandparents - his grandfather had a been a chef in the territorial army. While many of his friends were kicking a ball about in the park the 12-year-old Ellis was attending cookery school.
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After school, or in fact while still in school, he began working in Liverpool restaurants and learning the trade. He then took some time out and was travelling in Australis when he found his dad had bought a caravan site in Wales.
Ellis returned and began working with grandad in the site kitchen.
At this point Liam had just finished a degree in building surveying and he set about tidying up the campsite and building new pitches.
As the site, which had been on the market for six years before their dad bought it, was brought up to scratch the brothers began building up relationships with local suppliers.
Over the past decade the brothers grew relationships with north Walian suppliers and the menu reflects the seasonally available locally.
The brothers eventually started a supplementary company to supply the kitchen. They had a small holding, which was originally planned to grow vegetables, when they decided to get some pigs to turn over the land and to get some organic matter and nutrients back into the soil.
At this point the pair admit they got carried away and The Fat Pig Company was formed. As well as supplying the restaurant it sells to customers at the camp site shop, restaurants and butchers.
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This leads to the latest venture a return home for the brothers.
There is quite a contrast between the two restaurants. The Marram Grass is in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the south west corner of Anglesey, with views across to Snowdonia.
Lerpwl is on the Liverpool’s Royal Albert Docks, which is home to the largest group of Grade I listed buildings in the countrya nd is located on Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage waterfront. The Docks attracts six million visitors a year.
Lerpwl will look to take inspiration from its surroundings, with the interiors reflecting the industrial nature of the Dock, having once been at the heart of Liverpool’s booming global trade industry.
The restaurant will accommodate 45-seated downstairs with a bar for those who fancy a pre-dinner cocktail or a glass of wine. Upstairs, guests can enjoy an exclusive private dining experience for up to 20 with their own kitchen and dedicated chef.
The mezzanine level will incorporate a DJ booth, providing the restaurant’s eclectic soundtrack on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Talking about on the different concepts behind Marram Grass and Lerpwl, Ellis said: “The Marram Grass represents the community and sustainable farming links in Wales, sourcing as much as possible locally to the restaurant to play on our natural surroundings.
“Lerpwl is all about the trade links Liverpool has had with the rest of the world. Yes, we’ll be using Welsh produce but we’ll be looking around the world to complement our welsh ingredients.
“For example we can’t wait to smother our home-grown aged swine with Italian white truffle.”