News / Restaurants
Restaurant raises funds for Bristol’s first-ever Cantonese oven
A crowdfunding campaign led by a Chinese restaurant hopes to enable them to have Bristol’s first-ever Cantonese charcoal oven.
The “beautiful, weird little universe of food, culture and community” at WANGS in Montpelier celebrated their first birthday on Sunday, when they announced their desire to import the special oven.
Commonly found in Hong Kong, the charcoal-powered oven allows for meat to hang vertically over the burning coal so as to create a crisp outer skin with intense umami flavours on the inside – something that is often seen in traditional Cantonese dishes like crispy pork belly and char siu.
is needed now More than ever
But the cost of bringing this oven from China to Bristol is substantial and the Wangs team are hoping their loyal customers will be able to help. A total of £20,000 is needed, of which the team are raising half through a crowdfunding campaign.
WANGS celebrated its first birthday with a special party on Sunday at their restaurant in Bath Buildings- photo: Meg Davies
The campaign, which went live on Sunday, has already raised more than £3,000 with people showing support for the team’s commitment to bringing authentic Chinese cooking to Bristol.
Co-owned by couple Sacha Watts and Sandy Or, WANGS opened in July 2024 after a series of pop-ups, supper clubs and collaborations in the city.
Watts believes the oven would be a “bold next step” in accelerating their “mission to bring joyful, modern Chinese food to Bristol”.
She said: “This oven is about more than just better roasts. We’ve been blown away by the support this past year, and now we’re asking our community to help us make this next leap.
“Whether it’s a fiver for a postcard or a ticket to one of our masterclasses – every pledge counts.”
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Within just over a year, WANGS has become a firm favourite among Bristol diners, with the restaurant becoming one of the most recommended places in this year’s EatDrink24/7 guide.
Head chef Emily Xin Xin Chan, who previously led the kitchen at the former Tare in Wapping Wharf, believes the oven could “open up a whole new world of cooking” for the team.
“The flavours you get from charcoal roasting are just unreal – sweet, smoky, deeply savoury,” she added.
“We can’t wait to get experimenting and bring something really special to Bristol’s food scene.”
Supporters of the fundraiser will receive a range of rewards, including limited edition WANGS merchandise, tickets to their dumpling masterclasses or special edition collaboration beers from Left Handed Giant.
If the crowdfunding campaign is successful, the team hopes to purchase, ship, install and finally start creating authentic dishes with the oven from September.
For more information, visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/wangsbristol
Main photo: WANGS
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