Masterchef contestant Thomas Simmons has opened a new venture just doors away from his successful restaurant.
The Pembrokeshire born chef is the co-founder of Ground Bakery, Pontcanna's newest coffee shop. Located on Pontcanna Street, his new venture is just a stone's throw away from his first Welsh restaurant - Thomas by Tom Simmons.
Mr Simmons, along with his partner Lois, have converted a long-empty shop in the suburb into a cafe and coffee bar to cater for those looking for a less substantial meal that a restaurant offers.
You can see all the other new bars, restaurants and cafes that have opened in Cardiff this year here.
No 15 Pontcanna Street, which sits between Al Ponte and The Frame Shop, has been empty for more than two decades and its last use was a vacuum cleaner repair shop.
The soft launch of the business took place on Thursday, June 17, where takeaway coffees, pastries, bread and sandwiches were available.
Speaking after submitting the plans earlier this year, Mr Simmons said: "The new place will offer open sandwiches, soups, stews, as well as excellent breads, toasties, and quiches."
The new cafe has seating for around 16 customers and there is a large marble counter showcasing the pastries, and the kitchen is on show behind a glass screen.
"We are keen to make sure the residents will be happy with the new venue, and it will be great to bring life back to the place,” he said.
Mr Simmons said that the focus will not initially be on cooking or baking classes, but as the layout of the venue lends itself to it being used in that way they wanted to include it in the planning application now rather than having to make a new application somewhere down the line.
The planning application for the venture said that it would have the provision of a restaurant facility with shopfront bakery/deli. It added the proposed offering of daytime and/or evening training sessions associated with the bakery or other culinary classes.
Simmons took over the former site of the Cameo Club in Pontcanna in early 2020. Before this he operated a restaurant at Tower Bridge in London and reached the quarter finals of Masterchef: The Professionals in 2011 aged just 21.
