Gareth Ward, chef and co-owner of Ynyshir near Machynlleth in mid Wales, has defended his restaurant's food safety practices following a significant hygiene inspection controversy. According to BBC News, Ward appeared in Apple TV's documentary series Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars to address the scrutiny that engulfed Wales' only two-Michelin-star restaurant after it received a one-star hygiene rating in February 2026.
This story was first reported by BBC News.
The inspection findings made international headlines and represented a significant setback for Ward and his team as they pursued a third Michelin star. The council had identified concerns about raw and undercooked foods, and the inspection report cited a dirty floor, inadequate hand-washing facilities in some areas, broken equipment and an accumulation of dead flies. Food-safety management was rated as needing major improvement.
In the eight-part second series of the Apple TV show, which follows elite chefs and their teams, Ward characterised Ynyshir as "an incredible place" and emphasised his commitment to standards.
"There's nothing in there that's amateurish," he told the programme. "I run a spotless kitchen."
Ward acknowledged that the hygiene rating had caused pain to his operation, particularly because of the restaurant's mission to achieve excellence.
"Whether you're a cafe, or a pub, or a two-Michelin-star restaurant. We've all got the same rules,"he said.
"But we go above and beyond everything to make what we do safe."
What led to the inspection and its findings?
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 restaurant in Wales to achieve two stars. When the February 2026 inspection took place, the restaurant was pursuing a third star but fell short at that year's ceremony.
The 16-seat venue serves Japanese-inspired raw dishes as part of its nearly £500 per head 30-course tasting menu. Management of food safety was categorised by inspectors as needing major improvement, as was cleanliness and condition of facilities, while "hygienic food handling" was rated "generally satisfactory". The restaurant accused inspectors of not understanding its specialised procedures for handling raw ingredients.
How did the restaurant respond?
Ynyshir responded to the initial inspection by characterising the findings as minor issues typical of a busy professional kitchen in rural Wales, which had been "rectified immediately and in full". The restaurant said biological testing had confirmed its specialist techniques were safe and compliant, and it described the testing as having been conducted at "significant cost" to the business.
The restaurant stated 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". Ward expressed his frustration about the media coverage and the assumptions it generated.
"It's obviously massive in the media, which anyone instantly jumps on and thinks it's about cleanliness,"he said in the documentary.
"When something like this happens you're a bit blown away."
Ward explained that the restaurant served a lot of raw food and did a lot of things "that aren't normal".
"We have done some things wrong, but we don't deserve everything [we were accused of],"he said.
"It's just, we dare to be different."
What happened after the reinspection?
By August 2026, Ceredigion County Council restored Ynyshir's five-star hygiene rating after a reinspection, with the updated score published in March. The council stated that the "business had addressed all matters identified during the original inspection". This restoration represented a vindication of Ward's position and his team's efforts to remediate the issues identified.
For Ward, the inspection had left him acutely aware of the weight of responsibility he carried. With more than 30 members of staff and the business potentially at risk, the scrutiny had been a major setback.
"I'm very proud of my whole team and my business, and what we've achieved,"he said in the documentary.
Key Facts
- Ynyshir is Wales' only two-Michelin-star restaurant, having earned its second star in 2022
- The restaurant received a one-star hygiene rating in February 2026 but regained its five-star rating by August 2026 following remedial action
- The 16-seat venue serves a 30-course Japanese-inspired tasting menu at nearly £500 per head, featuring raw dishes
- Gareth Ward appears in Apple TV's Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars to discuss the inspection and his commitment to food safety standards
- The restaurant said biological testing confirmed its specialist techniques for handling raw ingredients were safe and compliant
