Gareth Ward is adding another award to his collection as on Monday, November 14 he was crowned Chef of The Year at The Staff Canteen Awards. These awards celebrate the best in the hospitality industry across the UK.
The first awards were launched during the pandemic in 2020 and held virtually but this time the winners were unveiled at a ceremony which took place in Birmingham.
The Chef of the Year award is nominated and voted for by the hospitality industry and the general public. Winners are decided by a public vote. Nominees and voters are asked to consider the chef who's either been the biggest influence either as a mentor, a culinary leader, or innovator who has inspired the industry, or a chef admired from a far.
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Welsh Michelin-star owner Gareth - who's chef patron at award-winning restaurant Ynyshir and is planning on opening another restaurant in Machynlleth - was up against Coworth Park's executive chef Adam Smith (Ascot), The Ledbury's chef patron Brett Graham (London) and Simon Rogan, chef-owner at Cumbria eatery L'Enclume.
Gareth, who's originally from the north-east of England but now lives in rural Wales, has won a number of awards in the years since he took over the mid Wales-based Ynyshir in 2013. In 2019 he was awarded the Good Food Guide Chef of the Year 2019 and The Caterer's 2018 ‘Chef to Watch’.
Ynyshir itself has also had an immensely successful year. In June, it was voted as the best in the UK at the National Restaurant Awards 2022 and earned a spot in the Good Food Guide's Top 20 best restaurants in the UK - landing at number two.
These accolades add to Ynynshir's two Michelin stars - Wales' first ever two-michelin star restaurant - five AA rosettes, and top ranking in Wales in the Harden’s Guide. Read our review of it here.
The Staff Canteen awards don't only celebrate great chefs across the country. Other award categories include: Kitchen Porter of the Year, Community Hero, One To Watch, Sustainable Business of the Year, Social Media Influencer, Member of the Year and Front of House Team of the Year.
For more information, visit the website.
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