Hosted on the Kickstarter platform, the crowdfund for Hiraeth has already exceeded the duo’s £30,000 target, having so far raised £31,951 from 316 backers.
Hiraeth is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation with The University of Wales defining it as "a homesickness tinged with grief and sadness over the lost or departed, especially in the context of Wales and Welsh culture".
Dwyer and Aston are offering perks including free meals and merchandise for those willing to support the ‘final leg’ of their journey, with the former pub site in need of an updated kitchen and new kitchen equipment.
Hiraeth is billed as an unfussy, unpretentious Modern British dining experience that will offer tasting menus of seasonal produce and follows a series of pop-ups run by the pair under the same name.
Dwyer’s cooking CV includes a number of top independents in South Wales while Aston has spent the past four years as head chef of Llanerch Vineyard on the outskirts of Cardiff.
“We’ve found a perfect site that suits us and our style,” the pair say. “We can only get so far alone, but we want to do this to the best of our ability and deliver the very best to our guests.
“We also do not want to start a business built on bank loans and credit cards. During these difficult times we don’t believe this would be right for us.”