"From traditional Sunday roasts to new cuisine, value-for-money pub lunches to gastronomic delights you will find it all here."
The awards tell the story. In 2002 the Michelin Guide gave stars to five restaurants in Wales, and the UK Pub Restaurant of the Year is in Wales. We are getting more listings in publications like the Which Good Food Guide; nearly 60 Welsh restaurants appear in the 2002 edition, and seven Welsh restaurants are featured in the top 10% in the AA's Restaurant Guide.
Wales is no longer a culinary backwater - although some would argue it never was. Our hospitality is world-famous, our food and drink compares with the very best and now our chefs are producing meals that are truly world-class.
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 Fairyhill of Reynoldston, on the Gower Peninsula, which prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, has been rewarded with this year's Taste of Wales title, part of the Wales Tourism Awards 2002.
This five star establishment has struck deals with local fishermen and a nearby farmer to supply the needs of its kitchen and it even grows its own herbs and salad in a wall garden within its own grounds. Its speciality is freshly caught local sea bass cooked in a laverbread butter sauce.
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 And a Welsh pub - The Talkhouse/Ty Siarad at Pontdolgoch in Mid Wales - has just been awarded the title of UK Pub Restaurant of the Year by The Publican magazine. Chefs Colin and Melanie Dawson's cooking has also won them listings in the 2002 Which Good Food Guide and the AA Pub Guide, as well as a red symbol of distinction in the Michelin Guide. From traditional Sunday roasts to new cuisine, value-for-money pub lunches to gastronomic delights you will find it all here.
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 Mary Ann Gilchrist of Carlton House, Llanwrtyd Wells, is the second lady to hold a Michelin Star in Wales. Her cooking has long been praised for its sound principles, precise balance of flavours and fine ingredients, with attractive presentations that personify the true taste of the local ingredients. Her meat is from the butcher opposite who has his own farm. Many locals grow vegetables for her, and she drives to Swansea Market most weeks for fresh fish.
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 The first lady with a Michelin Star in Wales was Wendy Vaughan of the Old Rectory, Glan Conwy. She always pleases guests with her traditional cuisine, without gimmicks and novelty. It is sound cookery, particularly for pastry and sauces, that makes her style stand out. Her skill at handling eclectic twists in certain dishes shows her understanding of cooking and how far she can extend flavours. The menu (no choice until dessert) is always harmonious and balanced in flavour and presentation.
 Stephen Terry, the new chef/patron of the Walnut Tree near Abergavenny had a difficult act to follow when Franco Taruschio retired after 35 years. But after just one year at the helm he can bounce back at some of the inevitable criticism he faced by displaying a Michelin Star for his highly accomplished cooking. He cooks the rustic Italian style with flair, and presents fresh seafood such as squid, Dover sole and crab in an exciting style while retaining old favourites like Lady Llanover duck.
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 Ynyshir Hall, just south of Machynlleth, has a new chef Les Rennie who was reputedly overwhelmed with the quality and choice of local produce available when he arrived. Though his menus do contain specialities such as foie gras, he handles this and the local seafood from Carmarthen Bay with an equal skill that doesn't lose sight of the true taste of the main item. His twists with ingredients and highly imaginative presentations are real Michelin Star quality.
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 Chris Chown, who returned to the kitchen at Plas Bodegroes near Pwllheli over a year ago, has regained his Michelin Star that he first won a decade ago. His masterful use of ingredients comes through in his hallmark dishes, while innovation is always apparent on the well-balanced and salivating menus. The ingredients are as local as can be found, and his cooking excels throughout, from his sauces and twist of flavours with Welsh Black beef to his dreamy desserts.
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