TV chef aims to be big Down Under after recipes go viral

A LARGER than life Cofi chef is aiming to be big Down Under after his recipes went viral. BAFTA Cymru winner and fire-chef Chris 'Flamebaster' Roberts' BBC Wales series, Chris Cooks Cymru, which was shown earlier this year, has been sold to broadcasters in Australia and Georgia.

- By STEVE BAGNALL Daily Post Reporter

In the meantime, Chris, from Caernarfon, has gone viral on social media, with his recipes for Welsh Rarebit and Conwy mussels getting more 5.5 million hits.

The six-part series sees Chris travel across the country, tasting what each region has to offer and cooking up tasty meals in different locations using a variety of cookery methods but specialising in the use of fiery charcoal.

Chris said: "It's amazing the reaction we've had to the series in which I've travelled to places in Wales I've never visited before and finding out about local traditions and foods and meeting some fantastic people.

"It's really next level stuff and the series being sold to SBS in Australia and the Georgian channel is the icing on the cake."

Made by Caernarfon-based production company Cwmni Da a second series of Chris Cooks Cymru has already been commissioned.

Planning is underway for the filming over the summer with the series due to be aired on BBC Wales early next year.

"I've been blown away by the response from people watching the series. The engagement from the viewing public has been awesome.

"I'm really chuffed that the series has gone down so well with viewers. It's cool to see my cooking getting such a great reaction."

News of the series being shown across the UK and farther afield comes at a busy time for Chris.

"I'm preparing for the second series which we'll film in the summer after a trip to Japan for a series that will be shown on S4C in the run-up to Christmas," he said.

Japan, added Chris, has been one of his "bucket-list" destinations for a long time.