Ynyshir: Gareth Ward’s shrine to heavy metal cooking Food Years ago, a spoonful of Gareth Ward’s blew her mind, now Carys Sharkey makes a pilgrimage to his two Michelin-starred restaurant Ynyshir Many, many years ago, when I had just finished university and was listlessly waiting around to be headhunted, I supported myself by picking up the occasional hospitality odd job. This was normally hours [...]
Tom Aikens finds his Muse Life&Style From Norwich to London to Paris, Tom Aikens is serving his life in food, but does the conceit live up to the eat, asks Carys Sharkey Walking through the corridors of Norwich catering college, Tom Aikens knew he was exactly where he wanted to be. After “underperforming superbly” at school alongside his twin Robert – [...]
Alex Dilling: Mastering the art of French cooking Life&Style After honing his craft under two titans of French cooking, Alex Dilling now presides over one of London’s most refined dining rooms. His double Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Café Royal is a masterclass in modern haute cuisine, writes Carys Sharkey. As a teenager in sunny, expansive California, Alex Dilling thought he’d be a punk rocker, [...]
Dining out with Michelin’s most dedicated followers April 24, 2026 The all-powerful Michelin Guide has garnered a cult following of enthusiasts. Carys Sharkey goes star gazing Slap-bang in the middle of March, the impressively drawn-out awards season reached its zenith. First comes the trailers, then the films, then the media rounds, then the SAG Awards, the BAFTAs, the Golden Globes and finally the Oscars. The [...]
‘Indian food is a universe’: Making a home at Chet Sharma’s BiBi April 2, 2026 Quietly but surely, Chet Sharma is serving up some of the tasty plates of food in London. Carys Sharkey meets the chef reimagining fine dining with a healthy serving of nostalgia If you make your way down Oxford Street, past the shops slinging vapes and candy to indiscriminating kids, weaving through the preachers confirming your [...]
Victor Garvey’s mad new MATER1A concept is a Willy Wonka-esque theatre of gastronomy February 18, 2026 MATER1A, 115 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UP | ★★★★★ | Cuisine: Japanese, fine dining, tasting menu A benefit of having written restaurant reviews for 15 years is that you begin to see the overarching warp and weft of the business, the trends that slowly emerge and dissipate, the way hospitality gradually evolves, holding up a mirror [...]
£90 for breakfast? We review London’s first Michelin-starred breakfast tasting menu January 15, 2026 Pavyllon has unveiled London’s first Michelin-starred tasting breakfast. Is it a novelty, or a reflection of a changing fine dining market?
Da Terra’s Rafael Cagali is breaking down borders December 5, 2025 This piece is published in City AM The Magazine, Winter edition, distributed at major Tube stations and available to pick up from The Royal Exchange Brazil, Bethnal Green, Brighton: Rafael Cagali is cooking from his roots, writes Carys Sharkey What little I know about Brazilian food stems from two places. Hungover lunches in Southwark at small cafes [...]
Michael Caines checks in at The Stafford November 19, 2025 Legendary chef Michael Caines is taking on his next big project – and returning to London after decades away. He speaks to Carys Sharkey Michael Caines last worked in London when he was just a teenager. Now aged 56, he’s one the UK’s most recognised chefs, – and he’s back in the capital. This time, [...]
Gorse: A star is born in Cardiff November 12, 2025 After winning Cardiff’s first Michelin star, Gorse is opening a new chapter for fine dining in the Welsh capital, writes Carys Sharkey On a quiet street in the leafy Pontcanna neighbourhood of Cardiff is Gorse. A small, unassuming restaurant with an open kitchen and just a handful of tables, Gorse is the first place to [...]