London From The Outside | Secrets From the World’s Best With Gareth Ward From Ynyshir
Joanna Taylor catches up with one of the UK’s most successful chefs
As the statuesque, no-nonsense chef-proprietor of Ynyshir in Eglwys Fach, and Gwen in Machynlleth, Wales, Gareth Ward is no stranger to making history. In fact, since the former – and its 30-course Japanese, Chinese and Thai-inspired tasting menu – became the first Welsh institution to win two Michelin stars and the National Restaurant of the Year award, you could say firsts are his thing.
Perhaps the most successful UK chef to have never done a stint working in London, this week he continued to push boundaries, becoming the first guest to insist on setting up decks and a disco ball within the walls of Claridge’s.
If that sounds like diva behaviour, fear not, because it was anything but. Wherever he is, Ward is set on delivering more than just a taste of the immersive Ynishir experience – this time for The Good Food Guide’s Kitchen Supper Series at 14 seater chef’s table, L’Epicerie – which always begins with Iggy Pop’s ‘The Passenger’ and ends with Bronksi Beat’s ‘Small Town Boy’.
We caught up with him about his London food memories before the tables started turning…
What’s your first memory of London?
The first time I came to London was when I went for a job trial at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Royal Hospital Road. I think I was about 17. It wasn’t for me, I’d never seen so many people in my life. I come from a little town in the Durham countryside where I had to get on the bus for, like, an hour to school every day because it was miles away. I didn’t really know what a city looked like apart from Durham, which is tiny. It was very weird.
Gordon Ramsay was just mental, a mad restaurant. I mean, I’ve worked in some pretty mental kitchens in my life, but as a 17 year old? I wasn’t ready for that.
I’m not great with loads of people. I’m a bit of a loner and I’m quite shy. When I’m in social situations, if there’s lots of people, I just disappear in the background. I love being here, [in Wales], where there’s just nothing, it’s my kind of place. I wouldn’t survive very long in London.
Most memorable meal that you’ve had in London?
One of my greatest memories is Araki. I went there with Michael O’Hare and it was just mindblowing. It’s all Japanese nigiri and it’s insane – easily up there with what you get in Japan.
Have any London chefs influenced you throughout your career?
Back when I was 16 or 17 and first started to cook, I was obsessed with Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White. I remember reading White Heat hundreds of times when I was a kid, in bed with my lamp on. I was constantly reading it, dreaming about working in a restaurant like that one day. I mean, all of those classic chefs have had a big influence on me – like Nico [Ladenis], he’s not from London, but he had a restaurant in London – they just inspire you to be better in it.
A passage in White Heat that stuck with me was the one where he talks about people coming into his restaurant and behaving like shit, talking about “How would you like it if I came to your house and told you to turn the music off?” That’s me as well. I won’t have anybody come to this restaurant and behave badly. If they treat my staff like shit I will stop and I will kick them out straight away. You’re coming into my home.
Is there anything you don’t like about the London food scene?
All the hype – but I think that’s cities in general. There are a lot of people going to restaurants constantly and I think that a lot gets blown out of context. You go [to a restaurant] and you realise it’s just a lot of talk – not a lot of places live up to the hype. And I’m not saying it’s easier in London, but you’ve got a lot of football, haven’t you?
Where do you flock to when you’re in London?
You’ve always got to get a bagel on Brick Lane, haven’t you? I go to the white and blue one, Beigel Bake. To be honest with you, I’m always pretty drunk by then. I’ve also got to have to get the tempura wings at Smoking Goat, every time. They’re absolutely insane.
The Ledbury, obviously – if I can get in – is outstanding. I always love eating there and [Head Chef] Tom Spenceley is one of my best mates. I love eating at A Wong, Andrew’s a great guy. Adam Byatt from Trinity in Clapham is a legend. I love that his food is just proper classic food cooked properly, I’ve had a great meal there. Kitchen Table at By James Knappet, it’s amazing – there are so many.
For a pint, it’s got to be the Toucan, hasn’t it? My favourite pub in London. Everyone goes on about The Devonshire at the moment, going ‘Oh, best pint in London.’ But that’s not a pub, do you know what I mean? That’s too posh. The Toucan’s amazing – a bit grubby, the pint’s class – I love it.
Would you ever open a restaurant in London?
I would never say never. I’d get somebody else to run it and I’d be on the phone. If someone came to me with the right, the right format and the right thing, I would consider it. It wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing here, it’d have to be completely different.
Here’s hoping…
Tickets to The Good Food Guide’s Kitchen Supper Series with Sam Carter of Restaurant Twenty Two and Roberta Hall-McCarron of The Little Chartroom are available now.
Find out more about Gareth Ward and Ynyshir here
