The chef patron of a celebrated two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Wales has robustly defended his establishment after it received the lowest possible food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
A Clash of Culinary Standards
Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms in Ceredigion, where tasting menus cost nearly £500 per person, was awarded a one-star food hygiene rating following an inspection on 5 November last year. The rating, the lowest of five possible scores, indicates that the FSA believes "major improvement" is necessary in the restaurant's food safety management.
However, the restaurant's acclaimed chef, Gareth Ward, known for his appearances on MasterChef: The Professionals, has hit back at the findings. He argues that the inspection failed to appreciate the unique nature of his high-end, ingredient-driven cuisine, which heavily features raw and aged components.
Defence of Raw and Aged Ingredients
Ward stated that inspectors concentrated on his use of premium raw ingredients, such as sashimi-grade fish imported from Japan. "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?'" he explained. The chef expressed frustration, noting that such ingredients are consumed raw globally and suggested a disconnect between his practices and the inspectors' framework.
He also cited scrutiny over his ageing processes, including the use of a salt chamber for ageing fish. "They obviously don't like the idea of ageing stuff," Ward remarked. While acknowledging that "some of our paperwork wasn't right," he firmly stood by the safety and quality of his culinary methods.
No Embarrassment, Only Disappointment
The published FSA report noted that, alongside food safety management, the cleanliness and condition of facilities also required improvement. Hygienic food handling was rated as "generally satisfactory." Despite this, Ward was unequivocal in his response.
"I'm not embarrassed by it, I'm not upset by it," he said. "The people in life that push the hardest and think outside the box and do something different will always have to deal with this kind of stuff. My standards never drop below 100%." He described his feeling as one of disappointment rather than shame, insisting his team has done "something different" rather than something wrong.
Ynyshir holds a unique position as Wales's only restaurant with two Michelin stars. The Michelin Guide praises it as a "truly unique experience," highlighting Ward's "playful culinary journey" that often showcases Japanese influences through dishes like sashimi and A5 Wagyu beef across approximately 30 courses.
