Chef 'not embarrassed' by one-star hygiene rating at Michelin-starred restaurant

Since being given a one-star hygiene rating, the chef behind Wales' sole two-Michelin-star restaurant has said he is

not ashamed. After a visit by food safety officers on 5 November, Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, near Machynlleth, which charges nearly £500 per head, received the award. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), a score of one out of five indicates that

significant change

is required. However, chef patron Gareth Ward, who has appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, said the restaurant was operating

to the highest quality in the worldand doingsomething new" with how it approaches raw ingredients and techniques.

Starting at £468 per person, Ynyshir offers a high-end dining experience, with a 30-course tasting menu and an in-house DJ. Since being given the prestigious award in 2022, it remains Wales' only restaurant with two Michelin stars.

The evening starts early, giving chef-owner Gareth Ward five hours to take diners on a fun culinary journey around the world,

the Michelin Guide notes. "He has a special affinity for Japanese cuisine, with sashimi and A5 Wagyu beef likely to be included on the surprise menu of around 30 vibrant dishes, all featuring outstanding produce grown with superb craft.

According to the inspection findings, which were published on the FSA website, the restaurant's food safety policy needed to be improved, while the cleanliness and condition of the building also needed to improve. 'Hygienic food handling' was rated generally satisfactory. Ward explained to the BBC that one of the things inspectors were curious about was the restaurant's use of raw materials.

We import the best ingredients from around the world, and a majority of it goes raw,

he said.

I'm buying sashimi-grade fish from Japan and they're asking,

the fish is questioning,

well, we don't know the water, so how can we tell it's

Well, it's sashimi grade, this stuff's eaten raw all over the world, and people are questioning it because our laws don't comply with their laws.

I've got a salt chamber for ageing fish, but they obviously don't like the idea of ageing stuff,

he said.

Despite the rating, the chef maintained his optimism. Ward said,

I'm not embarrassed by it, I'm just not bothered by it.

The people in life who push the hardest, think outside the box, and do something different will always have to deal with this stuff. My standards never drop below 100%.I'm not ashamed at all, but I am sad. I'm not sitting here wondering, 'Oh my god, I've done something wrong, I am ashamed, I haven't, because we haven’ What we have done is something different. The Ceredigion council said it stood by theprofessional judgment of its workers in implementing UK food hygiene regulations" and would not be commenting further.

How do food hygiene ratings work?

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is run in collaboration between the Food Standards Agency and local authorities. Every time a food is delivered, stored, or consumed, a newfood hygiene certificate is issued to companies where food is prepared, stored or consumed every time it is tested by a local authority's food safety officer. Establishments are rated from zero to five, with five representing very good and five others indicating

major change is required. At the time of the inspection, the ratings were described as a

snapshot" of the hygiene requirements that were discovered at the time, which examines aspects such as how food is stored, handled, and prepared, as well as the cleanliness of facilities. It also assesses how food safety is handled more widely, including a company's education, processes, and systems.

'Highest standard in the world'

Ward said he had invested heavily in machinery and laboratory testing to ensure food safety, including a £50,000 freezer that reached temperatures of -80 C (-112F). Since the inspection, he said he took the restaurant's fish away for laboratory testing and that it had

all come back absolutely clear. Inspectors were still

not 100% correct,

he said, adding that an additional hand washing sink had now been installed in the fish preparation area. According to Ward, paperwork issues had also contributed to the low score.

Some of our paperwork was wrong, and that's our fault,he said.You miss stuff or write things down incorrectly or forget stuff. To get it right every time, I'd need a full-time office worker doing the paperwork.

The chef said Ynyshir retained the services of a specialist company that made sure the restaurant was meeting stringent food hygiene requirements. He said the problems had been dealt with

immediately

and that a reinspection had been conducted, but that no date had been set, but no date has been set.

My restaurant is operating to the highest standard in the world, and we take seriously what we do. "I have 27 years of experience in what I do. The kitchen is open, everyone can see everything, and the restaurant is immaculate.