Uncovered raw meat, a dirty knife, an accumulation of flies and risk of cross-contamination were among the reasons hygiene inspectors slapped a one-star rating onto a Michelin-starred restaurant, a report has revealed.

Council officials said ‘major improvement’ was required at Ynyshir Restaurant near Machynlleth, the only two-Michelin star restaurant in Wales, when inspectors came to visit last October.

The venue, which offers a £468-a-head dining experience, hit back at the findings, with head chef Gareth Ward claiming the low score was partly down to inspectors not understanding the use of raw ingredients, such as sashimi and dry-aged fish, in fine dining cuisine. 

But now the full report – seen by Daily Mail – has been published following a Freedom of Information request, and reveals the extent of food safety concerns raised by officials.

Management of food safety, cleanliness and condition of facilities were all deemed as needing ‘major improvement’. Hygienic food handling however scored better as ‘generally satisfactory’. 

Inspectors observed that ready-to-eat raw minced beef was stored in the service fridge next to uncovered raw meat products, while employees did not have access to a wash basin in areas where raw foods were being handled, including the dry aging room and lobster tanks.

Meanwhile a knife used for the ‘shaving’ process in preparing beef used for burgers was found to be ‘dirty’.

There were also flies in an area referred to as the ‘smithy’, while a fly paper sticky strip used in the prep room near the walk-in chiller had ‘an accumulation of flies’.

Uncovered raw meat, a dirty knife and an accumulation of flies were among the reasons hygiene inspectors slapped a one-star rating onto Ynyshir Restaurant in Wales. Pictured: Head chef Gareth Ward

Ynyshir shared an image of what appears to be Sashimi at the Welsh countryside restaurant

The venue, which offers a £468-a-head dining experience, hit back at the low hygiene rating

Inspectors found the floor in the prep room closest to the walk-in chiller was dirty and noted there was a large carpet rug used on the floor during service times.

The report warned: ‘This [carpet] material is not suitable for effective cleaning and disinfection and may harbour bacteria, dirt and other contaminants.’

Food safety officials highlighted that chef knives were not colour-coded to avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked meat and fish.

Inspectors also found that lobster meat was being served raw, as part of the sashimi offering. However, this was classed as a ‘high-risk activity’ and the restaurant was asked to take it off the menu. 

The report warned: ‘You should cease serving raw lobster immediately or further enforcement action in line with the Council’s enforcement policy may be considered.’

Elsewhere, the restaurant was accused of not providing a menu ‘in a timely manner’ during the inspection, while ‘two copies of the Food Safety policy, both of which are dated 3rd June 2025’ featured contents that were ‘significantly different’.

Inspectors were also unhappy with information provided about the burgers. 

‘We were initially advised that they are thoroughly cooked, however when questioned further we were then told the burgers are less than thoroughly cooked.’

Ynyshir told the Daily Mail it had taken the outcome ‘seriously’ and explained some of its ‘specialised’ cooking methods ‘differ from conventional kitchen operations’. Pictured: Head chef Gareth Ward

The restaurant was warned: ‘Providing misinformation to an Officer conducting official controls is an offence of obstruction.’

Inspectors also found multiple gaps in the restaurant’s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) documentation and monitoring.

Ynyshir’s Food Safety Management System and additional monitoring records, which were provided to inspectors by email on October 22, 2025, revealed issues with recording fish freezing temperatures and the ‘ageing’ of duck and pigeon, as well as cuts of fish intended to be eaten raw.

Inspectors found the restaurant was ‘not achieving the critical limit of >75°C for 30 seconds’ when preparing its sous vide cod dish – a technique used in poaching the fish.

The restaurant was also found to be ‘undertaking foraging activities, specifically for Birch tree sap and wild garlic’, but this activity had not been included in the food safety management system. 

‘You must review your food safety management system as a whole to ensure it fully covers all practices undertaken,’  the report stated.

Head chef Mr Ward, who has starred as a guest judge on MasterChef: The Professionals, previously hit back at the rating and said: ‘We buy in the best ingredients from around the world and a lot of it I serve raw.

‘I’m buying sashimi-grade fish from Japan and they’re questioning, “Well, we don’t know the water, so how do we know it’s sashimi grade?”

James Martin previously hailed Gareth Ward as ‘the greatest chef in the UK at the moment’

‘Well, it is sashimi grade, this stuff’s eaten raw all over the world, and just because our rules don’t fit their rules, they’re questioning it.’

Sashimi-grade fish can be eaten raw.

Ward, 45, also has a Saltan salt chamber, used for his 300-day-old dry-aged Welsh wagyu beef – also among the ingredients that he claimed came under scrutiny.

‘They (the inspectors) obviously don’t like the idea of ageing stuff’, he told the BBC.

Ward added: ‘I’m not sat here thinking “Oh my God, I’m embarrassed, I’ve done something wrong”, because we haven’t. What we have done is something different.’

Saturday Morning presenter James Martin has previously hailed Ward as being one of Britain’s most talented chefs and called his restaurant ‘the best place to eat in the world’.

The 30-course dinner experience takes up to five hours to enjoy at the hideaway restaurant in the Welsh countryside.

Diners can opt for the ‘full experience’ at the restaurant and stay the night for an additional £330 for the cheapest room or £714 for the garden room. The stay includes a ‘light breakfast’ the following morning before check out.

Martin previously told the Route podcast: ‘Gareth Ward, the greatest chef in the UK at the moment, the most talked about chef in the UK at the moment, two Michelin stars at the moment.’

Ward has insisted his restaurant, named the best in the UK in 2022 and 2023, is working at ‘the highest standard in the world’.

The award-winning chef said that following the report he had sent the restaurant’s fish for laboratory testing and it came back ‘absolutely clear’.

He admitted there were areas where improvement was needed but insisted they had been dealt with ‘immediately’ and that a reinspection had been requested.

Among the changes implemented was an extra hand-washing sink installed in the fish preparation area and fixing the paperwork – as some of it ‘wasn’t right’.

However, Ward said the restaurant does ‘take what we do very seriously’, adding he has ’27 years of experience’.

He concluded: ‘The kitchen is open, everyone can see everything, the place is immaculate.

Ynyshir previously told Daily Mail some of its ‘specialised’ cooking methods ‘differ from conventional kitchen operations’.

A spokesman added: ‘Following a recent routine inspection by the local authority, a number of administrative and procedural actions were identified for improvement.

‘We take this outcome seriously and have already addressed these points in full.

‘We are currently working closely and cooperatively with Environmental Health and have requested an early reinspection in line with the council’s guidance.

‘Ynyshir operates with cooking techniques and processes heavily influenced by Japanese ingredients and methodologies.

‘This approach involves specialised preparation and handling practices that differ from conventional kitchen operations.

‘We operate at the highest professional level and are proud to work with some of the finest suppliers and ingredients from across the globe.

‘We remain fully confident in our processes, our team, and the safety of our operation.

‘As always, our focus is on delivering an exceptional and safe dining experience for every guest who visits us.’

Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms became Wales’ first ever two-star Michelin restaurant in 2022 after being awarded its first star eight years earlier.

A Ceredigion County Council spokesman previously said: ‘The Council stands by the professional judgement of our staff in applying UK food hygiene standards and will not be commenting further.’

Daily Mail has contacted Ynyshir Restaurant for comment.