Welsh chef Gareth Ward, the face behind two Michelin Star restaurant Ynyshir, is expanding his business - however, will not be cooking at his new restaurant. Gareth has been at Ynyshir since 2013 and he is now taking on the Number Twenty One bistro in Machynlleth.
Gareth has revealed his plans to rename the restaurant Gwen, after his mother, and will re-open it as an intimate wine bar and restaurant. The star chef told BigHospitality that he will not be cooking at the restaurant and instead Ynyshir head chef Corrin Harrison is taking the reigns in the kitchen.
The restaurant will be small and intimate, with just space for eight covers, and will serve a 10-course menu. There will also be a wine bar which will open as a coffee shop during the day. You can keep up to date with the latest What's On news by signing up to the newsletter here.
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Gareth explained the restaurant would be more aimed at local people. He said: "It will be the same kind of concept as Ynyshir but more for the locals." The chef has big plans for Gwen and hopes to buy the restaurant next door and open a small pizzeria.
He said: "We are going to do some sourdough pizzas and try and do something for the town. It is missing something-it needs a bit more quality in the food." Since Gareth took over at Ynyshir the restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars.
It's a true destination restaurant for foodies who are prepared to splash out on the best ingredients, with their 30-course taster menu which takes up to four or five hours to enjoy. As well as now being two-star Michelin rated, Ynyshir has accolades and awards like five AA Rosettes and was named the best restaurant in Wales according to the 2021 National Restaurant Awards (15th in the UK overall). Gareth was also named chef of the year in 2019 by the Good Food Guide.
Earlier in 2022 Gareth also announced his plans to extend his business further by opening a pub on the same land as Ynyshir. You can read more about his plans here.
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