Gareth Ward

Gareth Ward, originally from County Durham, England, joined Ynyshir Hall (now Ynyshir) in Machynlleth, Wales, as head chef in 2013, earning the restaurant its first Michelin star in 2014 and five AA Rosettes by 2017, the first in Wales to achieve the latter. In 2016, with partner Amelia Eiríksson, he became Chef Patron, transforming it into a restaurant-with-rooms focused on a tasting menu blending Welsh ingredients with Asian influences. Ynyshir gained its second Michelin star in 2022, becoming Wales' first two-star restaurant, and was named Best Restaurant in the UK by Restaurant magazine in 2022 and 2023.