'The Hairy Bikers Go West' to take in North Wales!

Si King and Dave Myers travelled through 10 counties and covered more than 600 miles on their quest to explore and reveal hidden gems.

The seven-part series for BBC Two sees the celebrity chefs start their food adventure in Scotland and end in Devon, with Dave making an emotional homecoming to the county he was born in.

It will take in North Wales in episode five. 

Si and Dave will be seen in the small village of Penygroes, Gwynydd, one of the most predominantly Welsh-speaking areas of the country.

They visit Maggie, a Nigerian kitchen "goddess", whose spicy West African dishes are heating up this particular corner of North Wales. Maggie spent her childhood in Nigeria, where she learned to cook from her mum and grandmother.

They also meet Steff, owner of Poblado Coffi.

Dave and Si in North Wales (Image: BBC)
As the Welsh climate means coffee isn’t commercially grown in the UK, preferring the warmer climes of Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia and Colombia, Steff’s imports his coffee beans, sourcing only from sustainable farms where the workers are paid fairly.

The bikers learn the skilled roasting process that goes into every cup.

Impressed with how the region has embraced bold ideas, the bikers plan to head to an 80-acre farm near the coast. Husband and wife team Matt and Jenny run the 350-year-old Henbant Farm and use a farming method called permaculture, a natural, low-waste method of growing food by replicating the ecosystems found in the wild.

With Dave feeling the effects from his recent chemo treatment, Si rides solo on this trip.

Dave and Si then visit Porthmadog, home of the oldest surviving railway company in the world. The railway is made up of 90 full time staff, as well as a host of dedicated volunteers.

They then head to Blaenau Ffestiniog after been told of a special bakery that creates Kurdish pasties. Nestled in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, Kurmang Rashid has become a cornerstone of the community with his range of breads, cakes and spicy pasties.

After a demonstration, the boys learn that Kurmang’s pasties are made with a classic bread dough which helps take the edge off those spicy flavours.

Dave and Si are so inspired, they decide to make their own pastry treat.

Speaking about the series, Si said: "It’s a series that we will always remember, not that we won’t remember others. We are very privileged to do what we do and I think this one was particularly special in general because of Dave’s health and his sheer and utter determination and love for what he does. Especially to continue to do it while he was having treatment took remarkable courage and energy - and adds to why Dave and I will not forget it.

"There were some very lovely moments, the atmosphere throughout the series was exactly that. There wasn’t one particular moment.

"The series being gentle and knowing was the whole sub-narrative, it was a celebration of a joyous and creative friendship."

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Viewers will see Dave and Si in different locations each week. The food adventure takes them to regions where they first met and to places that have shaped them.

They discover a host of inspiring producers doing their bit to celebrate an area’s rich diversity, learn about the future of food production, and track down a new generation of young farmers driven by sustainability.

The visits inspire the chefs to dish up a range of recipes from a Chicken Balmoral with truffle mash and a poached lobster served with Scottish Bucatini pasta, to Lamb chop pakoras with traditional Persian rice and a Lancashire Butter and Potato Pie.

The series was commissioned by Catherine Catton, Head of Factual Entertainment and Events. Commissioning Editor is Jasmyn McGuile. The Hairy Bikers Go West has been produced for BBC Two by South Shore.

Executive Producers are Andrew Mackenzie and Melanie Leach and the Series Producer and Director is Francois Gandolfi.

The series will run weekly from Tuesday, February 6 at 7pm.