Seven Welsh restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars in 2022’s Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland.
Considered the most prestigious accolade in the restaurant industry, achieving a Michelin star is the ambition of many chefs. And now, Wales can boast seven Michelin-starred restaurants, including its first ever two Michelin-starred restaurant.
Read more: The 50 best restaurants in Wales in 2022
Gareth Ward’s Ynyshir in Machynlleth has became the first Welsh restaurant to ever receive two Michelin stars, cementing its reputation as Wales’s most acclaimed restaurant. The restaurant already holds 5 AA rosettes, the highest ranking in Wales in the Harden’s Guide, and the title of best restaurant in Wales in the 2021 National Restaurant Awards.
Two other Welsh restaurants were newly awarded Michelin stars. SY23 in Aberystwyth, which is known for its flame cooked locally sourced produce, was awarded its star on top of already receiving the title of Michelin’s best new restaurant in the UK.
James Sommerin’s Home in Penarth was the other Welsh restaurant to be newly awarded a Michelin star. The guide praised James’s family-run restaurant for “his surprise menu of dishes showcasing the Welsh larder.”
Wales’ four other Michelin star restaurants, The Whitebrook in Monmouthshire, The Beach House in Oxwich Bay, The Walnut Tree near Abergavenny and Sosban and the Old Butchers in Menai Bridge on Anglesey all kept their stars from last year’s guide.
Two Welsh restaurants also now hold Green Michelin stars, which recognise restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to sustainability. Chapters in Hay-on-Wye was newly awarded the accolade whilst the Henry Robertson restaurant at Palé Hall in Gwynedd retained its Green star from last year’s guide.
There was no change in Wales when it came to the final Michelin accolade, the Bib Gourmand, which recognises "establishments that serve good food at moderate prices."
Both Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias in Colwyn Bay and the Hare and Hounds in Aberthin in the Vale of Glamorgan kept their awards from last year’s guide.
Posting on Instagram, chef Gareth Ward from Ynyshir responded to the news that he’d received two Michelin stars by posting: “We’ve only gone and got 2 stars. First and only ever in Wales - c’mon”
SY23’s Nathan Davies meanwhile tearfully told Michelin: “This is a dream come true. I couldn’t do this with any other team. This is mega. It’s the things you dream of, Michelin stars and assembling a team like this. This is incredible and it makes all that work worthwhile.”
Home by James Sommerin posted the following message on social media: "We're so over the moon today. We've done it. What a team."
Other big changes in the Michelin guide this year included an award of three stars for Simon Rogan’s L’enclume in the Lake District whilst four other restaurants were newly awarded two Michelin stars - Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen and Liath in Dublin and The Clove Club and Ikoyi in London. 19 restaurants in total were newly awarded Michelin stars.
Which are Wales' Michelin-starred restaurants?
Ynyshir - Machynlleth, Powys - two Michelin stars
With its two Michelin stars, Ynyshir has now firmly cemented its reputation as the best restaurant in Wales. It can add this to their five AA rosettes and the title of best restaurant in Wales in the 2021 National Restaurant Awards.
From its peaceful setting on the Dyfi Estuary to its luxurious bedrooms, Ynyshir is everything a destination restaurant with rooms should be.
But it's chef Gareth Ward’s cooking that's truly memorable and driven by a mantra of "flavour-driven, fat-fuelled and meat-obsessed." His 30-course tasting menu features dishes such as miso cured black cod with pickled shiitake mushrooms
Home by James Sommerin - Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan - one Michelin star
With its moody dark interior, blacked-out windows, and high-end cooking, Home is the new restaurant from chef James Sommerin and his family.
A previous Michelin star holder at his now closed Restaurant James Sommerin in Penarth, he has swiftly regained the accolade as his new restaurant only opened six months ago.
Home’s surprise tasting menu is based around the seasons so your meal will be different with every visit.
SY23 - Aberystwyth, Ceredigion - one Michelin star
SY23 is co-owned by Nathan Davies, a star of Great British Menu and a former sous chef at Ynyshir. At his Aberystwyth restaurant, he serves a menu of locally sourced meat and fish cooked over charcoal. Many of his ingredients come from the SY23 postcode in which the restaurant is based.
Influences on Nathan’s cooking come from across Europe and Asia and foraged, pickled and fermented ingredients all feature on the menu.
Walnut Tree - Llanddewi Skirrid, Monmouthshire - one Michelin star
Located just a few miles from Abergavenny, The Walnut Tree has been an iconic Welsh food destination since the 1960s.
Nowadays it’s owned by Shaun Hill, a true veteran of British cooking, who serves bold-flavoured yet unfussy French cooking with a scattering of international influences, including dishes like fillet of beef with salt brisket hash and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream.
Sosban and the Old Butchers - Menai Bridge, Anglesey - one Michelin star
This cosy restaurant on Anglesey is run by chef Stephen Stevens.
Located in an old butcher’s shop, the Michelin Guide praises Sosban for its “boldly flavoured modern dishes with original, personal touches”.
Stephen cooks single-handedly at this eight seater restaurant and makes the most of locally foraged ingredients included mosses and seaweeds, which he sources from the Anglesey coast.
Beach House - Oxwich Bay, Swansea - one Michelin star
Set in a former coal store with panoramic views over the Gower’s Oxwich Bay, the Beach House is run by Hywel Griffith who is passionate about celebrating local Welsh produce.
According to Michelin, at the Beach House: “Sophisticated, classical cooking is the focus and dishes are reassuringly recognisable.”
The Whitebrook - Monmouthshire - one Michelin star
Chris Harrod's high end cooking focuses on locally-sourced ingredients and freshly-foraged herbs and sea vegetables.
A former Great British Menu banquet winner, 90% of Chris's ingredients come from just a 12-mile radius of his rural Wye Valley restaurant. Read our review, here.
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