Gareth Ward to open Gwen restaurant in Machynlleth
Ward, who is chef-patron at Ynyshir, currently ranked the Best Restaurant in the UK in the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards, is taking on the Number Twenty One bistro in the town centre and will reopen it as an intimate restaurant and wine bar with Ynyshir head chef Corrin Harrison heading up the kitchen.
The restaurant, which will be called Gwen after Ward’s mother, will have space for just eight covers and will serve a 10-course menu. It will also have a wine bar that will double as a coffee shop in the daytime.
“I’ve always loved the restaurant so when the owner offered us the chance to take it on I jumped at it,” says Ward. “It will be the same kind of concept as Ynyshir but more for the locals.”
The restaurant will make use of ingredients that Ynyshir currently supplies to Legless-Fach, Ward’s more casual tapas concept that is based out of a stretch tent located in the grounds of Ynyshir.
“We buy in whole lambs so we can use the ribs at Ynyshir and the rest of the lamb goes to the tent in the garden where we do something a bit more casual dining at the weekend. Now we can sent it to the other restaurant as well,” adds Ward.
Ward also plans to buy the building next door and turn it into a small pizzeria having purchased a pizza oven from friend and fellow chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias following the closure of his Pi Shop in Bristol.
“We are going to do some sourdough pizzas and try and do something for the town,” adds Ward. “It is missing something – it needs a bit more quality in the food.”
Ward says he will not be cooking at the new restaurant.
