Lifestyle

Chef Defends Ynyshir’s Kitchen After Hygiene Rating Drop

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

The chef at Wales’ only two‑Michelin‑star restaurant defended his kitchen after the venue was criticised for food hygiene. While pursuing a third Michelin star, Ynyshir received a one‑star hygiene rating in February and was told to improve due to concerns about raw and undercooked foods. The news drew global attention and was a blow to chef Ward and his team. In Apple TV’s documentary series *Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars*, Ward described Ynyshir as “an incredible place” and said, “There’s nothing in there that’s amateurish. I run a spotless kitchen.” He added that the hygiene rating had hurt because they are “only trying to be the best.” Ward, who co‑owns the restaurant near Machynlleth in mid‑Wales, said that whether a venue is a cafe, pub or two‑Michelin‑star restaurant, “we all have the same rules,” and that they “go above and beyond everything to make what we do safe.” Ynyshir had previously been ordered to stop serving raw lobster after Ceredigion council found “significant hazards” were not properly identified. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2014 and its second in 2022, becoming the first and only Welsh restaurant to hold two stars. It missed a third star at this year’s ceremony. The 16‑seat restaurant offers Japanese‑inspired raw dishes as part of a nearly £500 a head, 30‑course tasting menu, and accused inspectors of not understanding its specialised procedures. By August, the council had reinstated Ynyshir’s five‑star hygiene rating after finding the “business had addressed all matters identified during the original inspection.” The scrutiny was a major setback for Ynyshir, and Ward expressed frustration in the documentary. “I’m very proud of my whole team and my business, and what we’ve achieved,” he said. “It’s obviously massive in the media, which anyone instantly jumps on and thinks it’s about cleanliness.” He added, “I run a spotless kitchen. When something like this happens you’re a bit blown away.” Ward noted that the restaurant served a lot of raw food and did many things “that aren’t normal.” He said, “We have done some things wrong, but we don’t deserve everything we were accused of. It’s just that we dare to be different.” The inspection left him feeling the weight of responsibility, with more than 30 staff members and the business potentially at risk. Inspectors categorised Ynyshir’s food safety management as needing major improvement, as did cleanliness and facility condition, while “hygienic food handling” was rated “generally satisfactory.” The report identified a dirty floor, inadequate hand‑washing facilities in some areas, and broken equipment posing a potential contamination risk. Ynyshir responded that the inspection “identified a small number of minor issues typical of a busy professional kitchen situated in the countryside of rural Wales” that had been “rectified immediately and in full.” It said biological testing, at “significant cost” to the restaurant, had “conclusively confirmed that our techniques are safe, compliant and appropriate.” The restaurant said it was prepared to work constructively with the council but expected “an informed, consistent and fair assessment process that recognises the realities of modern, non‑conventional restaurants.” When Ynyshir was reinspected, Ceredigion council confirmed the business had addressed all matters identified during the original inspection.