“I’m riding an ultralight beam”

Bristol chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias has had a quiet few years, having called time on Casamia, the Michelin-starred restaurant he opened with his late brother Jonray, in 2022; shuttered its more lower-spend replacement Casa in 2024; and closed Paco Tapas in 2025. When his high-profile contract at Decimo at The Standard, London came to an end last week, it looked, briefly, as if one of the country’s most talented chefs would have nowhere to cook. Until a deus ex machina appeared in the unlikely form of Gareth Ward, chef and owner of two Michelin star Ynyshir in Wales, whose restaurant Gwen, was set to close following the departure of its head chef Corrin Harrison. The stars aligned and now Sanchez-Iglesias, 40, is starting over, taking over the stove at Gwen and turning the sleepy town of Machynlleth into the most exciting gastronomic destination in the UK.

How did the move to Gwen come about?

Me and Gaz have been best mates for a long time. I’ve spent endless amounts of time driving up here, spending time with the family, going to the pebbly beach in Aberystwyth, having barbecues. Gaz always had this amazing vision, like, “Mate, why don’t you just move here?”. I’m like “Bro, I’ve got everything in Bristol, I’ve got all my family, I’ve got the restaurants, I can’t move here, it’s too far away”. Anyway, back and forth, and as time ticked on, I just realised it makes so much sense. I was ending my contract at The Standard and was like, right, now is the time to do something.

At my age now, I’ve been through a lot, so has Gaz. And I know what brings me true happiness. This, honestly, has just brought it all back. Literally, if every chef in the world could feel like the way I feel right this moment in time – actually, if everybody could feel the way I feel right this moment in time – this world would be a very different place. I get to do this with my best mate. We’re coming together to do what we love best.

Are you moving to Wales?

I still live in Bristol. I have a house in Portishead. That’s where we live: me, my wife, my kids. I’m coming up here for however long it takes to get this right. So I’m going to live in the two bedroom apartment above Gwen. I’m basically just going to immerse myself into this world. That’s not a way of going “whatever” to everybody else; I’m lucky I have the most supportive wife who understands what I need to do. It’s one of those opportunities where it’s not even a question, you just immerse yourself in it, because it means everything to everyone around me.

Casamia closed in 2022 and you closed Paco Tapas last year and you’ve just come out of your contract The Standard. What were your thoughts then?

My thoughts were I just want to do something amazing, incredible. I think that’s all I had as a desire, just to do exactly what I’m doing right now. I just didn’t know how to map that out. I’m not a rich guy. When you have investment, it’s great, just chuck millions of pounds at a restaurant. Do I just go and do more corporate work? I’ve had that glimpse of earning loads of money and it still didn’t complete me. At this moment in time, I’m standing here looking out at the hills, it’s nature at it’s absolute best, not a man-made thing in sight. This is how Gaz gets into his frame of mind.

What plans do you have for Gwen?

It’s still going to be called Gwen. Gwen is a meaningful name because it was Gareth’s mum. Corrin [Harrison] has done an amazing job at Gwen. He’s built it from a small little place and three years later it’s ticking, it’s working; he’s set up a good platform for someone else to be able to come in. Yes, I’m going to do the absolute polar opposite to what he’s doing – the food is going to be “me”. When I describe my food, it’s “no rules cooking”. Just because I’m standing in nature, doesn’t mean I’m only going to cook from this part of the land. I love flavour. Joining the Ynyshir family, everything is about flavour; we’re obsessed by ingredients. We are looking to do almost a mini version of what they’re doing at Ynyshir, so we’ll probably do multiple courses at the front then I’ll take people back and they’ll finish off with all the sweets in the front again. I have my own style and way I want things, but Gwen has so much soul of Ynyshir because of Amelia [Ward’s wife] who designed it.

Will you do a tasting menu?

It will 100 percent be multi-course. Tasting just always sounds a bit s*** in my opinion! It was avant-garde back in the day. It will be a long menu; we don’t know yet how long. To be honest, I’m going to do what I want to do in there, that’s the number one thing. Gareth’s attitude is: whatever you want to do, you do. It’s definitely 100 percent going to be a destination restaurant. Gareth always imagined you’d be able to get a bacon sandwich outside Gwen on Sunday mornings. I want to do that, because I want to be able to give back to the community so people, even if they can’t afford [Gwen], can have an amazing bacon sandwich they’re going to remember. Bring back some of the old dishes from Paco’s, like jamon croquetas – come down and get ‘em, two quid a pop, something like that. But inside will only ever be [a destination restaurant].

Are you aiming for stars?

I always wanted to be a three star chef. That ambition and drive has never gone but Michelin are Michelin, they do what they do. We kind of have an idea what makes them give three stars to a restaurant but we really don’t understand it. So, yes, you have that ambition but it’s not the forefront.

Is it going to be fine-dining?

Define fine-dining! When I think of fine-dining, I think of the Ritz. We just cook; we cook amazing food and look after people. It will probably be eight seats. Very, very small. I don’t think chef’s table is the right way to dub it; the best way to put it is you’re coming into my place, I’m going to look after you and feed you and give you amazing drinks and make you feel f***ing great, and then set you off on your way. We will probably run a four-day week. I will open on Saturdays definitely, because Ynyshir doesn’t open Saturdays. I’ll open then so Gaz and the Ynyshir staff and all the family can come and eat.

Do you have accommodation?

We have lots of rooms in Ynyshir, so we are talking about doing packages. Gaz is going down in covers at Ynyshir to concentrate even more, so there may be two or three rooms available.

Gareth said about you “I feel like I’ve signed Cristiano Ronaldo”. What do you make of that?

Being a football guy, I think that’s a pretty amazing thing for him to say, bless him! I think this was written in the stars; it was going to happen. Everything just aligned for it to happen, right at this moment. I’m riding an ultralight beam. I owe everything to Amelia and Gareth for believing in me.

gwenrestaurant.co.uk