Gareth Ward – Chef Patron, Ynyshir

Gareth Ward is Chef Patron at Ynyshir, a Michelin star, five AA rosette restaurant and rooms which offers dining experi- ences featuring, in Ward’s own northern dialect, ‘Alternative British Snap (food)’ packed with flavour. Its location between the Welsh coast and Snowdonia National Park, means Gareth can handpick the best ingredients from Wales, and beyond, seeing the whole British Isles as his larder.

Gareth started his cooking career straight out of school aged 16, working in kitchens in the north east before deciding to move to Rutland and take a job at Hambleton Hall. Working in the 1 Michelin star kitchen for five years, he rose from com- mis chef to junior sous. When he decided to leave Hambleton he moved back north to work at Seaham Hall, which had just gained its star. He stayed here for two years before taking his first Head Chef role at Hart’s Restaurant in Nottingham, a part of the Hambleton family. Whilst here, he was awarded the city’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and gained his first 2AA rosettes.

Gareth’s next step was to move to Restaurant Sat Bains, which when he joined had 1 Michelin star. During his time here as Sous Chef, the restaurant gained its coveted second star and came in the San Pellegrino Top 100 Restaurants, whilst being a regular in the top 10 of the Good Food Guide.

In 2013, Gareth was ready to take the reins again himself and arrived at Ynyshir, then named Ynyshir Hall, as their new head chef. In his first full year, he was awarded his first Miche-

lin Star and then gained 4AA Rosettes shortly afterwards the only place in Wales at the time to hold the accolade, and the first time for Ynyshir. Success continued as Gareth was also noted as the Good Food Guides ‘Chef to Watch’, receiving 7/10 and placing the restaurant in the UK’s Top 50. Ynyshir was in the final two restaurants in the UK in the Cateys ‘Menu Watch’ and included in the Times Top 100 Restaurants, one of only 4 in Wales.

In September 2016, Gareth was made Chef Patron of Ynyshir, at which point he and his partner Amelia Eriksson, General Manag- er, made the decision to convert from a hotel to a Restaurant with Rooms, renaming the business as just ‘Ynyshir’. Gareth and the team are hugely passionate about using the best ingre- dients to create dining experiences that surprise guests with flavour on another level.

2017 has seen Gareth and Amelia continue working on the prop- erty’s refurbishment, with each stage moving Ynyshir further away from a traditional country house hotel, towards an excep- tional destination restaurant with rooms.

These latest developments have been recognised in the Good Food Guide which ranks Ynyshir in twelfth place in The Top 50 Restaurants 2018(up 28 places)and positions it as the leading restaurant in Wales. The Guide describes the menu as “clever and meticulous – a celebration of local produce infused with Japanese flavours and real skill.”

To consolidate Gareth’s success, in September 2017 Ynyshir was awarded with five AA Rosettes – the first ever restaurant in Wales to achieve that accolade and one ofthree restaurants in the UK to reach that standard.

Ynshir is open 5 days a week
Dinner – Tuesday – Saturday 6.30pm – 9pm, A choice of two 4- hour Dinner Menu Experiences £110pp, Chef’s Table Bespoke Ex- perience £130pp
Lunch – Wednesday – Saturday 12pm – 1pm, 2-hour Lunch Menu £39.50pp

For more information, visit www.ynyshir.co.uk or call 01654 781209

Follow Ynyshir and Gareth Ward
Instagram: @ynyshirrestaurant @garethward81
Twitter: @ynyshirrest @garethward1
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ynyshir

For press enquiries, please contact:
[email protected] / 07590262370