Cardiff’s number one reason to eat meat

A few words with the owner of Got Beef, Cai Pritchard.

First of all, could you tell me a little about what you do? 

Got beef is a Cardiff based company that sells delicious gourmet beef burgers
from an eye catching converted bus. We travel the country attending festivals and food events. Got Beef uses only the best quality ingredients. Our 6oz burgers
are sourced from a farm shop in North Wales and have won a True Taste gold star. They are then loaded with a selection of original mouth-watering toppings, amazing homemade sauces, fresh crunchy lettuce and all served in a warm toasted bun. 

What was the idea behind starting a gourmet burger van? I know they are a big thing in America, was that an inspiration? 

Yes this was the main inspiration. Food trucks are all over the place in America, and the variety of food on offer is huge. I liked the idea of having a restaurant on wheels, the set up costs are cheaper and there’s no need to wait for the customers to come to you. You can take your product to them.

I have also travelled around Thailand a few times where you find vendors on every street corner. The food they serve is far better than most of the restaurants there, and only costs a few pounds.

What would you say makes you a ‘gourmet’ burger van?

I think the word gourmet is over used these days. If you say your product is gourmet then it should be of the highest quality and made with the best ingredients available. There is a huge risk of people jumping on the ‘street food bandwagon’ just to make a quick buck. So organisers need to ensure food is kept to a high standard. 

I have been a chef for over six years working in all types of establishments, so I feel I know the publics likes and dislikes.    

What food other than burgers do you cook and sell?

Our main passion is burgers. We sometimes sell other things like Jamaican beef patties and slow cooked brisket. But our main focus at the moment is to produce the best burgers around.

How does it feel to be part of the Cardiff Street Food Festival?

Very exciting. People want something different to do on a Saturday night rather than go to the pub or a generic restaurant. I’m looking forward to working with Deri Reed- The Ethical Chef (organiser). He has a great ethos of using fresh local produce and promoting local businesses. 

What is next? Do you ever hope to get a permanent pitch, or a restaurant even?

I would love a regular pitch but there is far too much red tape on trading. I think it will take a while for the council to realise street food has changed and is here to stay.

In the meantime we are expanding into corporate events and vintage/festival themed weddings. We are also planning a pop up restaurant in the next few months, so keep following us on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Congratulations to Cai on the birth of his daughter last week!