Success at Embers Café
Opening its doors in May 2023, Embers Café is beautifully based amidst the woods in Coalbrookdale and has been blazing a trail in Shropshire for its widely-acclaimed, locally sourced menu that is cooked over flames. The business is the culmination of an incredible decade for Adam Purnell, aka The Shropshire Lad, who has morphed from youth worker to a social media influencer, brand ambassador, TV star, chef and successful hospitality business owner.
How it all began
“I remember catching and grilling mackerel as a 5-year-old,” says Adam. “From the age of 10, I was experimenting at home and by my teens I was doing dinner parties for mates. Cooking was always a core passion but the weekend and evening shifts, plus shouty chefs, put me off it as a career.”
“I trained and worked as a youth worker but whether it was dinner parties, big feasts for special occasions or testing new techniques or recipes, I was always pushing myself in my cooking at home. One day, a friend asked if he could video me making a recipe. We put it on social and that was the beginning of my Shropshire Lad platform.”
“I always enjoyed cooking over fire but it became a specialism, partly due to the fact that for a time my house didn’t have a kitchen, and because the videos I released on my social channels gained a lot of traction. Soon, brands in the fire arena were approaching me to be an ambassador and not long after, I was on the Netflix Show ‘Crazy Delicious’ and even featured on MasterChef.”
“I wasn’t hugely searching for my own place but a vegan café I frequented was made available. My partner had been thinking about a career change so we decided to go and have a look together. Things escalated pretty quickly and before we knew it, we had the keys. We weren’t from commercial hospitality backgrounds so it was a big learning curve but we’re very proud of what we have achieved and what we stand for.”
“The food is unique in that it showcases how cooking over fire can truly enhance and elevate the best locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and provide a different ambiance to a meal. We have monthly theme nights, casual Sunday roasts and the menu is changed every two months to best celebrate the Shropshire seasons. Outside of seasonings and spices, everything we use is sourced locally.”
Locally Sourced Goods
In the winter months, Embers Café forgoes beef in favour of locally sourced venison. “Venison is an incredible but very underused meat. There is so much locally that goes to waste so we have made it our mantra to celebrate it. It’s been nowhere near an antibiotic or vet and is as healthy as you can find. It’s really versatile as well and is superb over flames so we utilise it across the menu during winter.”
Find out more
Visit the Embers Cafe website to find out more.