The winners of this year’s Welsh Street Food Awards 2022 have been crowned after a phenomenal weekend of vendors showcasing their utterly delectable culinary talents.
Hosted by Street Food Circus and Food Mutiny and judged by the women behind the award-winning Hang Fire Barbecue, Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn, as well as Kacie Morgan - otherwise known as blogger The Rare Welsh Bit - the two gongs up for grabs were the judge’s choice and people’s choice awards. Last year's people's choice winner for Wales, Janet's Authentic Northern Chinese, went on to take the overall title of Best Streetfood in Great Britain. We caught up with Janet at her Pontypridd stall earlier this spring, read what she's been up to, here.
Bellies full and with bated breath, the foodies at Roath Yard yesterday afternoon watched on as Fork Society took home the latter, while The Bearded Taco won over the judges and became this year’s Welsh Street Food Champion as the judges choice.
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Speaking to Wales Online about this win, the man behind Fork Society, Sean Hill - who runs the truck with his chef Anthony O'Connor - told us: "We're so proud to have won - and the award that meant the most to us, voted by the customers - it means the world to us. we love all our customers. We went into the weekend not even thinking about winning but when we were announced, we couldn’t believe it and I actually felt quite emotional. I’m full of pride and ready to represent Wales in the next round!"
And upon receiving their award, The Bearded Taco, which is run by family unit Sian and Jake who have been serving delicious food since Street Food Circus’ early days, also said: "We’re still a bit in shock really and honestly just so chuffed and humbled to have won. We’re really grateful to the judges and didn’t envy the decision they had to make. We obviously put our whole hearts into everything we cook and there’s always the hope of winning when you enter something like this, but we genuinely didn’t expect to win as the competition was so fierce.
"I know that’s a bit of a cliche but we really do love the street food community in Wales and think all of the food on offer this weekend was incredible - we were rooting for all of our friends as well! We’ve been doing this a few years now so It feels amazing to be recognised and appreciated."
“I’m really really proud at how the Welsh food scene has developed,” said Shauna Guinn on the day.
“We’ve gone from Tokyo to tacos and it’s just been incredible,” Sam added. “This is probably the most diverse and highest quality street food awards I think we’ve ever done. It was a really hard decision.”
Richard Johnson, founder of the British Street Food Awards, announced the two winners, who will both go on to represent Wales at the British Street Food Awards final and were both met with euphoric applause.
Posting on Instagram, the Welsh Street Food awards wrote: "What a weekend! With legends of the Welsh street food scene - @thebeardedtaco - stepping up to win the Judges’ choice (thank you to our dear friends @samandshaunaofficial plus our lovely newbie Kacie at @therarewelshbit) at @streetfoodcircusuk HQ. And @the.fork.society winning the People’s Choice with a pork collar that was soft as butter. But there will be more Welsh traders than that at the finals of the 2022 @britishstreetfoodawards. For sure. This was an exceptional year - even better than 2021."
Roath Yard's Street Food Circus is on for two more weekends. Catch the winners and runners up - which included Kapow Ribs, Nomad Kitchen, Cosmos and Keralan Karavan - on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 and across the whole jubilee bank holiday weekend - Thursday, 2 June to Sunday, 5 June.
The other vendors include:
- Ringo’s Dirty Diner
- Dirty Gnocchi
- Hot Damn
- Pwdin
- Smokin Griddle
- Bao Selecta
- Tokyo Nights
- Poutine Punks
The two winners will now go on to compete in the British Street Food Awards which will be held in September.
