2 Michelin Star Chefs: Gareth Ward, chef owner, Ynyshir Restaurant with Rooms
Gareth Ward is the chef and owner of two Michelin-starred Ynyshir Restaurant with Rooms in Wales
Gareth Ward is chef-owner at Ynyshir, a two Michelin star, five AA rosette restaurant with rooms in the rural heart of Wales.
Ynyshir Hall
Eglwysfach, Machynlleth, Powys, Wales SY208TA
Website: http://ynyshir.co.uk/
Tel: 01654781209
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours:
Lunch:
Thursday to Saturday starting 12:30pm
Dinner:
Wednesday to Saturday starting 5pm*
*Allow 4-5 hours for the dining experience.
Facebook: Ynyshir
Twitter: @YnyshirRest
Instagram: @ynyshirrestaurant
Biography
County Durham born and raised, Gareth started his cooking career at 16, working in kitchens in the North East before moving to Rutland to work under Aaron Patterson at Hambleton Hall.
In the five years spent in the Michelin-starred kitchen, he rose from the position of commis chef up to junior sous.
When he left Hambleton, Gareth moved back North to work at Seaham Hall, which had just gained its star. He stayed there for two years before taking his first head chef role at Hart’s Restaurant in Nottingham, a part of the Hambleton family. Whilst he worked there, Seaham was awarded the city’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ award as well as 2 AA Rosettes in the AA Restaurant Guide.
Gareth’s next move was to Restaurant Sat Bains. At the time, the restaurant held one star in the Michelin Guide. Gareth was there in 2011 when it earned its second.
Ynyshir
In 2013, Gareth was named head chef at Ynyshir, then called Ynyshir Hall. In his first full year, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, then gained 4 AA Rosettes
shortly afterwards, making it the only restaurant in Wales to hold the accolade at the time.
The restaurant has since been awarded 5 AA Rosettes.
In September 2016, Gareth was made chef-patron of Ynyshir, at which point he and his partner, Amelia Eriksson, general manager at the restaurant, made the decision to convert from a hotel to a Restaurant with Rooms, renaming the business ‘Ynyshir’.
In 2022, the restaurant was awarded a second star in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland.
The chef has made multiple TV appearances, including on James Martin's Saturday Kitchen Gareth and on Masterchef: The Professionals 2019, where he hosted the chef competitors during finals week. He also joined us on The Staff Canteen's Grilled podcast in 2020.
Food style
The restaurant's location between the Welsh coast and Snowdonia National Park allows Gareth to use only the best ingredients from Wales and surrounding areas - such as Welsh lamb and British shellfish - as well as sourcing the finest produce from around the world, including Japanese beef and Spanish tuna, to create a 30-serving, protein-led menu consisting of everything Gareth likes to eat.
At Ynyshir, the food is all about amplifying the flavour of the ingredients, many of which are finished on the bbq. Gareth's cuisine is heavily influenced by Japanese, Thai and Chinese cooking styles and as such his food features lots of soy and mirin.
With no alternative menus on offer, the little flexibility when it comes to dietary requirements allows the chef to cook to his heart's content, and to feed the guests the food he loves and nothing else.
Other Michelin Star Chefs
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2 Michelin Star Chefs: Gareth Ward, chef owner, Ynyshir Restaurant with Rooms
