About Us

The Really Wild Founders

John

John found school disappointing (or was it the other way round?). After going on to study music then training as a gymnast, he ended up as a Head Teacher of 4 Special Needs schools.

He raised money for British and Nepalese charities by sailing non-stop round Britain in a 15 foot Wayfarer Dinghy in 42 days, windsurfing around the Isle of Wight, coracling

the entire length of the River Teifi, heading up a Continental Canoe Expedition that took him through the major rivers of France, and was the second person to cycle up Annapurna in the Himalayas.

He wanted to think that his life would become quieter when he met Julia. Wrong!

By combining their foraging passions and interests has led to a Really Wild life. He has developed an interest in the wide variety of seaweeds available round the Pembrokeshire coastline and their use within the food industry/tourism field. He is especially keen on learning about the medical benefits they could provide and is passionate about raising awareness of the use of natural resources in Pembrokeshire.

Like Julia, he consumes seaweed and wild plants daily from the local coast and countryside. They both work 7 days a week for most of the year and are fascinated by all things creative. What will they do next?

Julia

Julia trained as an archaeological conservator, photographer and draughtsman, illustrating books and carrying out restoration on excavations. She worked at the Museum of London at Kensington Palace, followed by Oxford City & County Museum.

She received an award from Prince Charles for the restoration of her 1600’s grade 1 manor house in the Brecon Beacons National Park, a multi award-winning accommodation and dining destination.

Her interest in historical food went hand in hand with her love of herb gardens and plants that have a use, be it in food/drink/health/craft/cosmetics/medicine/ in still-room usage and 1600s food, knot gardens and mazes.

Julia is currently writing a coastal foraging book, is the author of a light-hearted novel set in Pembrokeshire and has written regularly for various magazines including Plantlife.

She has four children who try hard to pretend she is normal – in reality she eats and sleeps seaweed every day, bathes in it and talks about it a lot! She even has a dog called Seaweed who has appeared on various TV programmes with her because he is much more appealing. One of the most weird things she has done is being interviewed sitting in a bath of seaweed with Alex Jones on the street in London on the BBC One Show!

Really Wild Managers

Claire

General Manager

Claire – Her first love was sport, so she trained as a teacher of physical education and taught for a couple of years in the beautiful county of Shropshire.

Her second love was adventure travel and the big wide world was waiting to be explored, so she gave everything up, packed the rucksack and lived the dream.

Her third love turned out to be running businesses, so for the past 32 years she has been busy starting, developing and managing businesses for herself and other people.

The Really Wild Emporium is business number 5 and she has clearly saved the best until last.

It provides enough variety and challenges to keep her boundless energy and drive under control.

Having spent her childhood summers foraging on the St Davids Peninsula with her dad Oliver, the opportunity to re -connect with ‘all things wild ‘ is just perfect.

Abbie

Products & Services Manager

After studying Zoology at university, Abbie went on to do her Primary PGCE and Level 3 Forest School Leader practitioner training. After teaching in classrooms for 5 years, her love of nature and the outdoors got the better of her and she went into outdoor education. Since moving full-time to Pembrokeshire she has found her place at Really Wild and gets to feed her creativity through her varied roles here. Abbie is also a yoga teacher, singer/songwriter and loves to learn new skills, to add more strings to her bow (she was once trained to teach archery too!).

Sioned

Front of House Manager

Sioned is our Front of House Manager. Outside of work she loves surfing, climbing and exploring the coast path and beaches with her dog Ava. She has always lived in St Davids, but loves going on adventures around the world when she can. Some of her favourite countries she’s visited so far are New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua!

Jon

Head Chef

Jon’s always been a forager, but he really got the foraging bug at his first job; Llys Meddyg, Newport Pembs. There, he spent hours learning about wild foods and how to cook with it, and also got his Professional Cookery NVQ through Pembrokeshire College. The Whitebrook, Monmouth next, and an incredible opportunity to be mentored by the late Henry Ashby – foraging legend. Then L’Enclume, Cumbria – in 2018, rated best restaurant in the country, before restaurant Menu Gordon Jones, Bath. He joined the RWE in September ’20, and took charge of the kitchen in June ’22.

Fluent in Welsh, Jon’s a Cardiff boy, but has lived in Pembs well over five years, and loves the magical coastline. Seaweed’s his big thing now and he thinks it’s shockingly under valued as a (delicious, and nutritious) food source!

He’s been a member of the Association of Foragers for the past six years, and has four A-Levels! When he’s not cooking, Jon’s out on his kayak – freediving and filming underwater, camping on mountains, and rock climbing… And sometimes dancing to EDM!

Really Wild Team

Stacey

Administrative Assistant

Stacy’s background is in Retail and people management. She enjoys organising and getting creative in shop displays and finding exciting new products and brands with interesting stories that have little to no impact on the environment. Stacy has been lucky enough to have an input into policies and procedures in previous employment that positively support and benefit employees with their wellbeing and development.

She feels extremely lucky to be able to call St Davids her home now after moving from Somerset, and enjoys getting outdoors with friends and family, walking the dog on the coast path overlooking the sea, and occasionally braving a swim!

Stacy is loving being part of the Really Wild organisation and learning all things wild in her role here! She is excited for her personal growth, along with that of the business.

Jane

Shop and Production Assistant

Sue

Shop Assistant

Milly

Front of House Team

Lilu

Front of House Team

Erin

Front of House Team

Sina

Front of House Team

TJ

Sous – Chef

Tj has always had a passion for working with sustainable produce throughout his cheffing career. Having moved to Herefordshire from St Davids in the early 2000s TJ worked for ‘Bill’s Kitchen’s’ as Chef Manager in their award winning cafe in All Saints Church. Here he met Dorian Kirk, who now owns and directs ‘A Rule of Tum’, which consists of three very diverse restaurants in the city – one of which was ‘Burger Shop’ which TJ managed as Head Chef for 3 years.

TJ has always been passionate and keen to learn more about foraging and ecosystems, so ‘The Really Emporium’ was the perfect place to continue that journey, working alongside some very knowledgeable and experienced people – especially Julia and John!

Dave

Assistant Chef

Dave trained at the NEC in Birmingham between 1974 and 1980, then went on to work as a contractor cooking for the military at Brawdy. He has also worked as Chef Manager at Marco’s refinery as well as at the Mornings restaurant in Dale. Dave retired from full-time catering in 2016 but continued to work part-time at The Stackpole Walled Gardens making cakes for their coffee shop. He’s now enjoying being back in restaurants, working as part of the great team here at Really Wild!

Maisy

Assistant Chef

Maisy is the newest member of the kitchen team at Really Wild. She has previously worked at Nant ddu Lodge and outside of work she enjoys chocolatiering and embroidery.

Geraint

Assistant Chef

The Really Wild Founders

John