A celebrated Welsh restaurant holding two coveted Michelin stars has been handed a one-star food hygiene rating by inspectors, prompting its chef to defend its world-class standards.
Michelin Excellence Meets Regulatory Scrutiny
Ynyshir restaurant, located near Machynlleth on the edge of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, is internationally acclaimed. It opened in 2013, gained its first Michelin star in 2014, and in 2022 became the first restaurant in Wales to be awarded two Michelin stars. Tasting menus at the restaurant with rooms start from £468 per person.
However, following a visit by Food Standards Agency officers on 5 November, the establishment received a hygiene score of just one out of five. This rating indicates that "major improvement" is necessary according to the agency's scale.
Chef's Defence: Raw Ingredients and Paperwork Problems
Chef patron Gareth Ward, a former MasterChef: The Professionals contestant, stated he was "not embarrassed" by the result. He explained the low score stemmed primarily from inspectors' concerns over the restaurant's use of specialised raw and aged ingredients, which are central to its innovative cuisine.
"I'm buying sashimi-grade fish from Japan and they're questioning, 'Well, we don't know the water, so how do we know it's sashimi grade?'" Ward told the BBC. "This stuff's eaten raw all over the world... I've got a salt chamber for ageing fish but they obviously don't like the idea of ageing stuff."
Ward acknowledged that paperwork discrepancies also contributed to the poor rating. "Some of our paperwork wasn't right, and that's our fault," he said, adding that perfect compliance would require a full-time office worker.
Restaurant's Response and High-Tech Safeguards
The chef emphasised the restaurant's proactive approach to safety. Ynyshir employs a specialist compliance company and has invested in a £50,000 freezer capable of reaching -80C (-112F) to ensure product integrity. Following the inspection, the restaurant sent its fish for independent laboratory testing, which raised no concerns.
Ward conceded that officers were "not 100% wrong" and has since made changes, including installing an additional hand-washing station in the fish preparation area. A spokesperson for Ynyshir confirmed the business has requested a reinspection, though no date has yet been set.
In Wales and Northern Ireland, displaying the food hygiene rating in a prominent place is a legal requirement for all food businesses, meaning Ynyshir's one-star score must be publicly visible.
