Ynyshir x Bowers & Wilkins
How Bowers & Wilkins partnered with Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms to create a listening experience to match the two-Michelin-star dining.
Ynyshir isn’t like other restaurants. That’s not down to it boasting the accolade of being awarded a coveted Two Michelin Stars; because it’s just as true to say that Ynyshir isn’t like other Two Michelin Star restaurants. Simply put, they do things differently there.
There, in this case, is the gloriously picturesque area of Wales called Machynlleth, which is known for its beautiful scenery, incredible avian wildlife, and now a truly unique dining experience. Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms is the brainchild of world-renowned chef, Gareth Ward, alongside his partner Amelia Eiriksson and a supporting team of highly dedicated and talented people who all seem blessed with an infectious passion for what they do.
However, the element from Bowers & Wilkins’ perspective that really makes Ynyshir stand out from the crowd of other restaurants is the meticulous attention to detail, craftsmanship, and creative approach, especially when it comes to music, and how that music sounds.
There’s a reason for that, and it’s Gareth. Many years of hard graft in a variety of kitchens, including as executive chef at Ynyshir under the previous owners, perfecting his trade meant Gareth was adamant that good music would be at the heart of his own restaurant. “You go to a lot of restaurants that have this generic playlist on a memory stick,” he says. “They play the same thing on loop, and the staff go stir-crazy hearing the same songs over and over again. It’s soulless.”
That helps explain why at Ynyshir, the audio experience is a world away from the soft jazz compilations played on tinny speakers that soundtrack many a Michelin-starred meal. Music is an integral part of the Ynyshir dining experience, and among those passionate people who dedicate themselves to making Ynyshir a truly remarkable place is Jacob Kelly, a full-time, in-house DJ. Jacob has a long history of playing some of the world’s biggest clubs, but now focuses his attention on creating daily five-hour sets to accompany the breathtaking dining experience. And all this is being played back on a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, selected, because like everything at Ynyshir, Gareth wanted the best.
A unique approach
The five-hour set is born of Ynyshir’s truly original approach to food. Gareth and his team deliver one service a day, which starts at 5 pm and ends around 10 pm. During which, diners are treated to a culinary experience like no other. The constantly evolving tasting menu takes guests on a culinary journey through a myriad of flavours, many of which are Asian-inspired but also feature shellfish sourced from local estuaries and rivers.
With all 18 diners enjoying the same course at the same time, this allows the music to reflect the course being served, with Jacob curating a set that perfectly complements the food. Gareth explains the power of that combination: “Music and food have an unbelievable connection; they complement each other so well. Our customers always say it’s incredible how the music and food are on the same journey. It creates a unique experience.”
Pre-service starts at 5 pm, with customers in the bar area for drinks. This hour sees Jacob play some more down tempo tunes. “It depends on what mood I'm in really, and what I want to play that day.” he says. “It could be anything from hip-hop to reggae, dub to jazz.”
The service section sees Jacob perform a three-hour set of full-on house music, while post-service, he has a little bit of fun, maybe playing some more well-known turns to aid the party atmosphere. The music is different every night, with Jacob committed to never repeating his set, but there is some consistency, as the dining experience is top-and-tailed by two of Gareth’s favourite tracks
Firstly, diners get to enjoy Iggy Pop’s classic The Passenger, and at the dramatic finale, as smoking birch wood is walked through the dining room, fires are lit, a mirror ball is dropped, the 12-inch extended version of Bronski Beat’s Small Town Boy breaks away from house to signify the end of service – like a million teenage discos on the 1980s. It really has to be experienced to be believed. It’s unlike any culinary experience elsewhere.
Elevating the dining experience
The reason why the music at Ynyshir is as important to the experience as the food is that Gareth is obsessed with music as much as he is with cooking (and Newcastle United, of course). “Some people don't even bother with music,” he says. “And when you walk into a silent restaurant, it’s awful. I'm a massive music fan, so why wouldn't I have the best?”
That experience is now further elevated with the addition of Bowers & Wilkins’ incredibly versatile, high-performance AM-1 loudspeakers throughout the restaurant. The full-scale installation has seen the speakers located in the dining area, both bars, outside by the fire pit and even in the toilets – the last two because Gareth didn’t want people to miss the flow of music when nipping outside or to the loo.
Gareth and his staff believe that the listening experience has now been elevated to match and further enhance the dining experience with the introduction of the new AM-1 system. “The collaboration with Bowers & Wilkins was a no-brainer,” Gareth says. “When we took over, we needed a sound system because we didn’t have one. The music was played off an iPhone on a docking system, and the rest of the building had nothing. It was the same playlist every night, dull as anything. So, we put in a sound system, and it worked for that time. But everything’s baby steps. You have to take time, do your research, find the right connections, and build something you love.
“When Jacob came in, he brought in Bowers & Wilkins, and as soon as it was set up and turned on, I was like, wow, now we’re at the next level.”
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