After three years, Gareth Ward’s Machynlleth restaurant Gwen is closing.
The follow-up to the chef’s two Michelin-starred Ynyshir, Gwen was opened in 2023 by Ward and his wife Amelia, with head chef Corrin Harrison at the helm of the kitchen. It quickly scooped awards, including a regular place in SquareMeal's Top 100 UK Restaurants list. However, earlier this week in a statement on Instagram, Harrison announced that he and the team are stepping away from the restaurant to pursue new projects.
The statement read: 'The time has come for me and the team at Gwen to move on to something new’.
He hailed the opportunity to lead the team over the last three years as ‘amazing’, and expressed his gratitude to Gareth and Amelia. ‘Having full creative freedom over the food, drinks and the overall vibe of the restaurant is something I will always be grateful to Gareth and Amelia for,’ he says.
‘Having full creative freedom [...] is something I will always be grateful to Gareth and Amelia for'
The team were able to make the decision to close Gwen ‘on their own terms’, and describe feeling proud to ‘end this chapter on a high’. The statement ends with a sign off from Harrison and his chef brigade.
‘They say it takes a community to raise a child, and the same goes for a restaurant, and what a community Machynlleth is! Thank you to everyone who supported us along the way. Big love, Corrin, Jamie, Jake and Sam.’
Over a hundred comments from chefs, friends and fans of the restaurant have been left on the post. John Chantarasak of AngloThai simply commented, ‘Big love brother’, while a flurry of heartfelt messages from previous diners express their admiration for the restaurant.
Gwen will close officially in May 2026, although will remain open until after the Machynlleth Comedy Festival, which runs until the 3 May.
About Gwen
Gwen was an intimate fine dining experience from the team behind Gareth Ward's acclaimed Ynyshir. Set around just eight seats, the restaurant offered a ten-course tasting menu, with tables positioned to overlook the kitchen pass, placing guests at the heart of the action. Head chef Corrin Harrison helmed the kitchen since opening, crafting a menu that revolved around a charcoal grill and drew on the same suppliers as Ynyshir. You can read more about Gwen while it's still open here.