Pasta A Mano crowned champions at British Streetfood Awards

Pasta A Mano showcased their fresh pasta and seasonal Welsh ingredients to Michelin-star chefs in London from September 13 to September 15.

The company also won best man dish for their signature plate, the vongole, where they replaced clams with Welsh cockles for a Pembrokeshire twist.

Pasta A Mano makes fresh Italian pasta with Welsh ingredients. (Image: Streetfood Circus)The streetfood business showcased their food to Michelin-star chefs. (Image: Jordan K Joseph)Pasta A Mano won best main dish for their spaghetti vongole. (Image: Beth Whelan)Founder of Pasta A Mano, Derw Robertson Jacobs said: “It was an honour to represent Wales and showcase some incredible produce. West Wales is often overlooked when it comes to fresh ingredients.

“We take pride in celebrating local produce. A lot of people get ingredients from all over the country to make a specific dish, but we focus on getting everything from Pembrokeshire while cooking food that is unique to the area.

“It is a different way of approaching street food. We feel like we offer something completely unique by bringing a dish that celebrates Wales. Everything is made from fresh ingredients. “Our food is very humble. It’s basic and we make everything from scratch.

“For our signature dish, the vongole, we replaced clams with Welsh cockles and the judges absolutely loved it. We won best main dish and were crowned overall champions. It was a great serving food to Michelin star chefs.”

The vongole with linguini, fresh cockles, heirloom tomatoes and toasted laver seaweed were one of the main reasons Pasta A Mano emerged champions.

Each ingredient is bought from a local producer in Pembrokeshire or Ceredigion.

This includes the cockles from Car-Y-Mor in St Davids, pasture fed beef & pork from Siop Carla in Rosebush, award-winning cheese from Caws Teifi in Llandysul and basil from Awen Organics in Nevern.

Pasta A Mano are now set to represent Great Britain at the European Street Awards grand final in Germany this October.

Derw plans to open a restaurant for Pasta A Mano. (Image: Beth Whelan)However, the streetfood business has plans to open a restaurant.

Derw continued: “A restaurant is the next stop. This will be our fifth year of business, which all started as a reaction to the [COVID-19] pandemic.

“We want to have a restaurant in North Pembrokeshire, as I live near St Dogmaels and that would keep things local.”

Pasta A Mano was founded following a work trip to Osteria Fratelli Pavesi in Piacenza.

Derw first started the business by selling fresh pasta kits to cook at home during the lockdown in 2020.

Since then, Pasta A Mano has gone from strength to strength with its incredible Italian food, like cacio e pepe – a macaroni dish with breadcrumbs, black pepper and pecorino.