Isaac lands job in Bryn Williams’ new Theatr Clwyd restaurant

Coleg Llandrillo student Isaac Williams has secured a job at Bryn Williams’ new restaurant in Theatr Clwyd, after impressing the celebrity chef on work experience.

Isaac has been taken on as a commis chef following a successful placement at Bryn’s Porth Eirias restaurant in Colwyn Bay.

The 20-year-old spent several weeks at Porth Eirias as part of the Bryn Williams Academy - a partnership providing mentorship and work experience to promising hospitality learners at the college.

Now, Isaac has a rare opportunity to be part of the internationally acclaimed chef’s latest venture right from the start when Bryn Williams at Theatr Clwyd opens soon.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity,” said Isaac, who lives in Tal-y-Cafn in the Conwy Valley. “Getting to work on a new start, you don’t really get to be part of that very often. It’s a really exciting opportunity.”

Isaac will return to Coleg Llandrillo in September to study a Foundation Degree in Culinary Arts, having completed his Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery at the Rhos-on-Sea campus this summer.

He got to work with Bryn earlier this year, when the former Great British Menu winner was among a host of Coleg Llandrillo alumni who cooked a celebratory dinner for retiring lecturer Mike Evans.

Isaac was later selected for a work placement which saw him spend two days a week at Porth Eirias, working alongside Bryn for some of that time.

“When I walked into the restaurant he recognised me straight away and greeted me, which was really nice,” said Isaac.

“He showed me lots of different ways to prepare food - he’s really knowledgeable of course, but he presents it in an easy-to-understand way.

“The culture in the industry seems to have shifted a lot, to where it’s more of a creative atmosphere and there’s more of a work-life balance.

“The chefs I worked with at Porth Eirias, they were the happiest chefs I’ve worked with, and when I asked them what it’s like working for Bryn, they said it’s amazing.”

After completing his placement, Isaac volunteered to work during the busy half-term holiday at Porth Eirias, and was later invited to interview for the job vacancy at Theatr Clwyd.

After interviewing successfully, Isaac will now work four days a week at Bryn Williams at Theatr Clwyd, allowing him time to continue with his studies and his volunteering work for a local church youth club.

He said: “Bryn and the other chefs told me it’s important that I have a work-life balance. They want me to be able to carry on volunteering, because they know it’s an important part of my life.”

Isaac grew up in the USA, in West Virginia, Illinois and Florida. His lifelong ambition to work with food was nurtured on fishing trips and family visits to restaurants, before his family moved to North Wales just before the pandemic.

“I’ve wanted to be a chef since I was four or five years old,” he said. “When we lived in Florida, I was big on fishing - fresh sea bass or freshwater trout. My favourite thing to do was to catch it then fillet it right there, and cook and eat it - it’s an incredible experience.

“One of the big things as well was access to restaurants. We lived near Disney World, and I’d save up any money I had and ask my parents to take me to the nice restaurants there.”

Working for Bryn is a full-circle moment for Isaac, as the Denbigh-born chef was indirectly one of the reasons Isaac applied to Coleg Llandrillo.

“I was working in a restaurant but I wasn’t getting to do as much cooking as I wanted to do,” he said. “So I googled and I saw that all the best chefs from around here, including Bryn Williams, went to the college.

“Shortly after we moved to North Wales, Covid happened, so it was just me and my family for nearly two years. So college was one of my first experiences of British culture. It was the first time I was part of a group of people outside of work, and I’m still in contact with friends from my Level 2 course.

“I really enjoyed the course. Because I’d known I’d wanted to be a chef for so long, I’d already learned a lot of the theory myself. But I didn’t have the practical side of fine dining food - I’d seen it all but had never actually done it.

“The staff were really supportive and helpful, showing different techniques, and everything just clicked and made sense. It’s given me all this practical experience, which is No1 in the culinary world.”

Isaac was recently named Achiever of the Year for Coleg Llandrillo’s Hospitality and Catering department, and won a silver award for volunteering as a student wellbeing ambassador.

He is looking forward to starting his Culinary Arts degree, which covers a wide range of topics including international cuisine and contemporary gastronomy, as well as marketing, business development, food safety and more.

“It includes modules such as resource management, food photography and marketing to help understand how to get your business publicised,” said Isaac.

“One day I’d like to own and run my own restaurant, and be in a place where I can use my degree on the inside of the industry.”

Staying for his degree at Coleg Llandrillo means he will be able to count on familiar faces for support, with Isaac adding: “The lecturers have helped me so much, with my confidence in the kitchen but also my confidence in general.

“They’ve even helped me with other situations outside college. They have a lot of knowledge and experience and they’re just willing to pour it all in.”

Do you want to work in the hospitality industry? Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers a range of courses from Level 1 to BA Honours Degrees, as well as apprenticeships, NVQs and customised employee training. Learn more here.