‘Sometimes the best things are on the other side of fear,’ says Ellis Barrie. He should know: along with his brother Liam, Ellis has transformed an unassuming shed into one of Wales’ most celebrated restaurants. Nine years in and The Marram Grass is now a thriving family empire, cooking up a storm in the kitchen as well as on social media. Their energy is contagious, but building a brand is far from easy. Here, the brothers reveal what they wish they’d known when starting out and the invaluable lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Entrepreneurship wasn’t always on the cards for the brothers. In 2009, Ellis, a self-taught chef working in Australia, and Liam, who’d just finished a degree in surveying, arrived in Anglesey to help set up their parents’ campsite.
‘There was no plan whatsoever to stay,’ Ellis laughs. ‘In one corner of the site was an old greasy spoon where the majority of things were deep fried. I've always had a love for food so I automatically got stuck in while Liam got to work on the grounds.’
Armed with Scouse charm, local ingredients and a passion for homemade food, the brothers watched their small business thrive. ‘We’re now building a tuition school to run cookery courses, train up local chefs and film YouTube tutorials,’ Liam reveals, brimming with enthusiasm. ‘And plans are in the works to open another restaurant. It’s all a bit mad!’.