My Bristol Favourites: Steve Ashworth

Steve Ashworth is the driving force behind Too Many Critics, a unique dinner taking place at Bambalan on Sunday, June 24 which will see a host of Bristol’s most well known food critics and writers taking themselves out of their comfort zones and cooking for a room full of chefs and guests, raising funds for Action Against Hunger.

A tax specialist by trade, Steve’s reputation as more than a gifted amateur cook was cemented in 2013 when he won the title of South West’s Chef of the Year competition. Since then, he has gone on to organise charity pop-up restaurants, host several food and drink festivals and performed a number of public food demonstrations.

Here are Steve’s top-five Bristol favourites:

Clifton Suspension Bridge

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“This was my first memory of Bristol and I can remember walking around and across the bridge back in 1991. The views from the bridge and of it are iconic to Bristol. I still drive past it every morning and look up at it, thinking how lucky I am to work in the city. Clifton Suspension Bridge in its ever changing light, often hidden in the dim morning mist and cloud with the rainbow houses to the side, makes me smile. When the sun shines through it, you can’t help but feel better as the river glistens below.”

Pasta Loco

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“The rise of the neighbourhood restaurant has been key to Bristol’s food scene over the last few years. Choosing a restaurant as one of my Bristol favourites has been like choosing your favourite child. I could have mentioned so many of them: Casamia, Wilsons, Wilks, No Man’s Grace, Bulrush, Adelina Yard…

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“But there is something special about Pasta Loco. The dishes they produce are in many ways simplistic; it’s just pasta. Chef and co-owner Ben Harvey has taken them to a whole new level. Dominic Borel, co-owner and Ben’s cousin, runs the front of house in his own inimitable style. This is pasta passion on a plate. For me, food is an emotional journey, and the last time I ate there I cried, just because I was there with most of my family, eating sublime food, in an amazing atmosphere. The tears were nothing to do with the negronis.”

Coffee shops

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“I love a coffee and I’m a bit of a frustrated barista. At home I have my Aeropress, Chemex, V60, grinder and fresh beans from around the world. I can still never quite get it like Bristol’s best baristas, but I keep practising. Bristol coffee shops and cafes are our window to the Bristol food scene and are often a visitor’s first taste of the city. Small St Espresso, Full Court Press, TinCan, Society Cafe, Brew and Hart’s Bakery are some of many I regularly visit.

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“We are blessed in Bristol with great coffee roasters like Wogan, Clifton, Extract and others. You will often find me in a coffee shop, smelling the coffee, whilst working, relaxing or people watching. Taking the time to learn from our great baristas like Mat North at Full Court and Matt Benyon from Wogan.”

Wapping Wharf

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“Wapping Wharf has grown and continues to grow and has become a must visit for a drink or food. I love the vibe of the independent making a stand here. An eclectic mix of coffee shops and restaurants interspersed with other independent retailers. Think of some thing you want and you will probably find it. Who knew what you can do with a container unit? I love Box-E and Root and the more under the radar, Tare. They never disappoint on their food offering. What they are able to create in a tight space is amazing.

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“Not forgetting if you want to put a meal together to take home you now have Meatbox, Bristol Cheesemonger, Better Food; and get a bottle from Bristol Cider Shop, Corks at Cargo or The Beer Necessities. Wapping Wharf is the perfect place to wile away the day, before going home to cook.

Bristol Fruit Market

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“All my talk about eating is only possible with the great producers we have in and around Bristol. I am a firm advocate of wherever possible local, seasonal and healthy. With producers, we also have Bristol Fruit Market in St Philip’s, bringing in and distributing fruit and vegetables to Bristol since 1917 through a number of wholesalers. Fresh produce arrives from around the world, but some is local.

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“On a cold morning you will find many of Bristol’s chefs here, choosing the best produce for their menus. The public are welcome as well (don’t forget your hi-vis jacket) to buy direct. It’s a great place to visit when it is in full flow; take in the hustle and bustle at 5am and it is a great way to start the day, even in the middle of winter. Time it right, and they may even have one of their regular breakfasts being cooked by chef Adrian Kirikmaa.”