Y SIED GOFFI & Y SIED LOFFT: COFFEE & CONVERSATION

We sat down with Aimee of Y Sied Carmarthen. Aimee and her Mother Lisa manage Y Sied Goffi and Y Sied Lofft, two cafés and a cookery school known for their homemade delights and community spirit. Aimee shares her journey helping her mother, Lisa (the owner and founder) start the cookery school and opening two cafés. Their story is one of passion, resilience, and a deep connection to their hometown of Carmarthenshire.

Join us as Aimee takes us through the inception of Y Sied, the challenges faced and the inspirations behind their family's culinary ventures. 

1. What led you to start your café?

My mum started the cookery school the 'Pumpkin Patch' from our family kitchen when I was 12 and I often helped her with the classes. I've always worked in hospitality since I was 14 and love the industry. After finishing my A Levels, Mum was already talking about opening a café and I loved the idea! So, I decided to study 'Business Management & Mathematics' at university, knowing that it would become useful. 

After university, we applied for a Rural Community Development Fund grant to renovate and rehouse the busy cookery school. Y Sied Cookery School was then opened on the 1st of August 2019. I then moved to the Caribbean for a while, but when COVID-19 hit, I was stuck there with no work but eventually got a repatriation flight home. Following Covid we spotted many empty shopping units in Carmarthen town, and with my Mums encouragement and support from my now husband Josh, we decided to open Y Sied Goffi.

At Y Sied, everything is made in-house from scratch. In the beginning, I handled all the baked goods and worked alongside Josh in front-of-house. Mum promoted the business and created new recipe ideas for our menu and continued to look for new ways to improve and care for staff, whilst also running the cookery school.  

We recently opened a second location, Y Sied Lofft, at Parc Pensarn, just outside Carmarthen.

2. Tell us about the early stages of the cookery school and the inspiration behind it.

The cookery school was 100% my mother’s idea. She raised us as a stay-at-home Mum, and we spent much of our childhood cooking together in the kitchen. When Anya my youngest sibling went to school, my Mum started running cookery workshops from our kitchen, and the 'Pumpkin Patch' was born. It grew from her love of cooking, gardening and working with children. They were so popular, that she soon started teen classes and workshops for adults. 

Because the business grew out of our family, we’ve implemented that ethos into our staff training. We love teaching our front-of-house staff how to bake, which helps them retain good knowledge of our menu. Our staff know exactly what goes into every dish because everything is made from scratch. We also use recipes from Lisa’s cookery books 'Blas' and 'Celebrate', so that customers can replicate them at home.

3. What drives your passion behind what you are doing at Y Sied now?

Everything at Y Sied revolves around the kitchen. We aim to create food that people enjoy while introducing them to new recipes they might not have tried before. We serve traditional Welsh food; but we offer vegetarian and vegan dishes too, like spanakopita, hummus and falafel. We try to educate people about different foods and healthier eating without alienating them. We also advocate for plant-based foods, offering meat as an optional addition rather than the focus of every meal.

4. What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

For me, it’s growing and training our staff. Many of our staff have been with us for years. We recently promoted one of our front-of-house staff at Y Sied Goffi to supervisor at Y Sied Lofft. It is great to see staff thrive in new roles and environments. The cookery classes foster a nurturing atmosphere, and we've seen staff members progress from front-of-house to head chef roles. Some children from our cookery classes have even come to work for us when they turn 16. 

It’s all about developing people who love who we are and embracing Y Sied’s ethos, helping them become the best versions of themselves. 

5. What do you cherish about Carmarthenshire, where you’ve set up your business and where you live? 

Carmarthenshire is where I grew up and consider home. Although I’ve lived in other places, including Oxford and the Caribbean, Carmarthen has always been home. I’ve settled here, got married here, and work here to help build the local economy and make Carmarthen a destination.

Y Sied Goffi was the first independent business in St. Catherine’s Walk, in Carmarthen town. We hope to inspire a trend of local businesses. Chains are great for employment, but they leave if they aren't making money. We want to succeed and stay; thanks to the continued support we’ve received 

6. Could you sum up your coffee relationship in three words?

That’s a tough one!

1. Life juice: I live off it. It is often my breakfast, which is why I like it milky.
2. Educational: There is so much to learn about coffee, from single origins to roasting processes.
3. Social: Meeting up for a chat over a cup of coffee is becoming more common than going to pubs. 

7. What’s your go-to coffee order?

A flat white every time. I like it strong but milky. I enjoy a good amount of milk with a strong coffee taste. While I appreciate the variety of coffee, an espresso is too strong for me. I’m drawn to nutty, chocolaty, and smooth flavour profiles. 

Find your perfect coffee here.

8. Where did your coffee journey start? 

My coffee journey started in an office in Oxford at AYS (At Your Service), a hospitality recruitment and events agency. My manager was obsessed with coffee, and that was the first time I used an espresso machine. Because of AYS, I wanted to learn more about coffee and latte art, so I started working for a chain coffee house. It taught me a lot, but also had its issues. Many of our current staff members are ex-chain, coffee house staff. We’ve kept the best practices and left the issues behind. 

9. Is there any food establishment that has inspired you in your business journey?

Family holidays have been vital in providing time away from work and broadening our perspective. We used to go to France every year, where their butchers and bakeries are still prevalent. You only go to supermarkets if necessary and we loved this.

At Y Sied, we go to our local butchers. The aesthetics of towns in France, Holland, etc., are bright, cheerful, and seasonal with local food. We’ve tried to represent that by going green and focusing on gardening and cookery schools. When buying produce for our menu, we always try to stick to our USP and style.

10. How do you prepare coffee at home?

We have a Nespresso machine, which I love for convenience. I’d love to have an espresso machine at home one day. I also use a V60 a lot at home. I like how you can set it up the night before and have it ready to go in the morning. It’s a nice, easy process to wake up to.

11. What are you most excited about in the business right now, going forward?

We’re excited about building up Y Sied Lofft to be as busy and exciting as Y Sied Goffi. Looking forward, we’re thinking about potentially opening another location. My mother and I enjoy the process of setting up new locations, from buying to creating and interior design. Our focus now is on building up our two current sites, each with their unique aspects and characteristics, depending on the space and location. We aim to build on the existing qualities of each space. 

Aimee's journey with Y Sied is a testament to her dedication to quality, community, and continuous learning. Her passion for food, commitment to her staff, and love for her hometown shine through in every aspect of her business. As Y Sied continues to grow and inspire, Aimee and her Mum's vision for a thriving, independent culinary scene in Carmarthenshire is steadily becoming a reality. We look forward to seeing how Y Sied evolves and continues to bring joy and innovation to Carmarthen.