The Swine That Dines Leeds: Meet the chef behind the city centre restaurant set to expand after 12 years
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Stu Myers first stepped into a kitchen with a chef title at the age of 25 - and he hasn’t looked back since, now the man behind The Swine That Dines, in North Street.
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Hide AdHis interest in the food industry slowly evolved from his time working in bars, pubs and clubs during university to working at hotels and restaurants in his early 20s.
The 50-year-old chef said: “It started off as a hobby at home. I suppose it's like you go away to university, and you just obviously start cooking for yourself. Me and my mates used to sit around in the afternoon and watch Ready Steady Cook.
“And then you go, ‘I'm gonna buy a cookbook’. You just start teaching yourself, you just get curious, then you pluck up the courage and go to a restaurant and you eat, and then you start seeing this world open out in front, and think ‘I'm going to give this a go’.
“And then you apply for a job, see where it gets you.”
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Hide AdHis first role in the kitchen was as “a very enthusiastic, if slightly inexperienced chef de partie”, but it allowed him to really learn the craft.
Stu said: “I didn't follow the traditional route from school, so I almost didn't know what I didn't know.
“So you learn fast, but you have to want to do it. You have to pay attention, you have to listen and accept your mistakes and then do it again.
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Hide Ad“You want to succeed, and then you can't learn more until you learn what you have to learn now, and also you’re doing it for other people, for the people rely on you - you're part of a team.
“I think that's one of the things I really enjoyed about cheffing when I was younger - you are part of a team, and everyone knows their job, and when it works beautifully, it is an amazing thing and you get a great deal of satisfaction out of it.”
Trying his own dishes, which he has spent hours perfecting, was a moment his younger self was incredibly proud of.
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Hide AdStu explained: “You read about something in a book, but the first time you get to try something that you know it's not sold in a supermarket and if it's not been part of your upbringing.
“It’s your first oyster and the first time you have bearnaise sauce, it’s a ridiculously rich, enjoyable thing, even if, after a short period of time, you resent having to make massive batches with a big whisk.” Ideas of opening his own restaurant began in 2010, when Stu and his wife Jo were away on honeymoon in Paris. The couple were inspired by the restaurants they dined at - and the prospect of creating “something together” excited the couple.
In 2012, the couple took on the Greedy Pig, a small sandwich shop, and over the next few years, they transformed it into the Swine That Dines. This was the first time Stu had full control in the kitchen, while Jo, who had not work in hospitality prior, took on front-of-house role.
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Hide AdLooking back at the 12 years the couple has had, Stu said: “I don't know whether anyone believes this, but I actually think it's been really good.
“I think it's actually so much better than two people who don't get together at the end of the day and moan about each other's work.
“We've got a lot to talk about, about what we've done and what we can do differently, what we can do in the future, and it's just really good sharing everything.
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Hide Ad“You share the same ideas, and different ways of making it work.”
The couple have enjoyed travelling and dining out wherever possible in the last 12 years too. But a more remarkable achievement to Stu was raising their young son while running the independent business.
Stu said: “[He] was only about five or six when we started. That was both tough because of some of the long hours that we did.
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Hide Ad“We always got to see him because he could be here, and we were always together. Him getting through school, his GCSEs, A-Levels and getting himself off to university, all this through Covid. That was quite an inspirational little thing.”
He added: “We've met a lot of other business owners. We've shared a lot of experiences with them. All small businesses that run the same risks and same issues, same problems, but then the rewards are also really high.”
While the sandwich shop is home to many fond memories for the couple, inevitably the couple say they have outgrown the North Street. They made an announcement on their social media channels earlier this month declaring plans to relocate to a larger city centre site nearby.https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/business/the-swine-that-dines-announces-exciting-expansion-4646059
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Hide AdThe couple hope that it will allow the couple to host more people, expand the food and wine menu, bring more members of staff on-board and even offer private dining.
A Crowdfunder, with a target of £25,000, was launched to help get the project over the line - and loyal customers of the Swine That Dines united to reach the target in just two days.
The money raised will go towards some of the changes the new venue needs. This includes an extraction and fire suppression systems, minor structural changes, and adaptations to the kitchen and furniture.
“It's quite inspirational,” said Stu.
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Hide Ad“Because we are such a small venue, I'm never too far away from our customers, like I literally look over a wall and I can see them. I can see them enjoying themselves. I can see them laughing and joking with each other. I see them laughing and joking with Jo. She's an excellent host.
“People are always keen to give you the thumbs up, say how much they've enjoyed it, we’re on first-name terms with so many people, people I would never have met, some who are now our friends. That's what we've really enjoyed about this.”
Stu hopes to keep nurturing the Swine That Dines and taking it to new heights with Jo.
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Hide AdHe said: “I do still have that enduring curiosity. We try to think of things that we're interested in that aren't obvious. So we're really interested in some of the food, in the US, some of the more regional stuff so we can do our little themed menus and things like that.
“It's always nice to see how food changes over the years, how a lot of the times things get lighter, things get zingier, food keeps on changing. And sometimes you agree with it, sometimes you don't, but you've always got that opportunity to put your spin on it. I think if the curiosity stops, I stop.”
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