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Hidden deep in the Welsh countryside, two-Michelin-star chef Gareth Ward chases an impossible ideal – perfection. A Knife in the Valley is an unflinching portrait of obsession, discipline, and the price of creative mastery inside one of the world’s most uncompromising kitchens.

Set against the raw beauty of rural Wales, A Knife in the Valley offers unprecedented access to Gareth Ward – the two-Michelin-star chef behind Ynyshir, one of the most daring and acclaimed restaurants in the world. Known for his relentless pursuit of excellence, Ward opens up for the first time about the addiction that drives him: a lifelong hunger to create, refine, and rebuild without ever feeling finished.

Theo Gee is the Director, Producer & Editor of A Knife in the Valley comments,

“This project started, oddly enough, with my mum. She’s a chef herself, and after eating at Ynyshir she called me to say it was the best meal she’d ever had in her life. That stopped me in my tracks. When I started looking into the restaurant and into Gareth, I was immediately fascinated – not just by the food, which is wild and meticulous in equal measure, but by the contradiction at the centre of it all.

You’ve got this big, blunt, no-nonsense bloke from Newcastle cooking some of the most delicate, detail-driven food in Britain, in the middle of rural Wales, serving 30 courses built around meat and precision. It felt cinematic before I’d even picked up a camera.

But what struck me most was how little media existed that really explored Gareth’s personal journey – the years of graft, discipline and reinvention it took to get to this level – or that truly did justice to the brilliance of his restaurant and what he’s achieved. I felt the film needed to focus on that story: the long road to mastery and the mindset behind it.

It took nearly a year of conversations with Gareth and his team before they agreed to let us in. When they did, it was full access – three days living inside the machine, watching one of the world’s best kitchens operate at full tilt, and sitting down with Gareth for a four-hour conversation that went deep into his life and philosophy.

It was a genuine privilege to be trusted to tell this story – not as a food film or a promo, but as a portrait of obsession, craft, and what it takes to chase perfection every single day. My goal was simple: to create a film that captured the same intensity, precision, and emotion that go into every plate at Ynyshir.”

About Gareth Ward, Head Chef & Co-Owner, Ynyshir, Wales

Since stepping into the kitchen at Ynyshir in rural Wales, Gareth Ward has transformed it into one of Britain’s most formidable culinary destinations. He’s achieved two Michelin stars, five AA Rosettes and been named UK Restaurant of the Year, all from a remote valley that most people treat as a weekend escape, not a gastronomic mecca. What makes Ward exceptional is his radical reinterpretation of fine dining: aged Welsh meat dry-aged for up to 300 days, foraged coast and hill ingredients, and Japanese-inspired sauces and acidities so sharp they reset your palate. His story is equally compelling: a school-dropout from County Durham who learned the hard way, then refused to settle into a safe kitchen, instead choosing to innovate, push the boundaries and build something unmistakably his own.

Ynyshir itself defies all expectations of what a destination restaurant should feel like. The experience is not just a meal: it’s a marathon of more than 30 bold, hyper-layered courses, no substitutions allowed, one menu only, every time. The service, the space, the food, even the soundtrack all converges into a singular vision where precision meets abandon. Ward’s culinary language might whisper minimalism, but the impact is anything but quiet. For press purposes, the headline is simple: this is not just a dining experience. It’s one of the most daring, uncompromising and singular places to eat in Britain – and the man behind it is doing something no one else quite is.

About Theo Gee, Director, Producer & Editor of A Knife in the Valley

Theo Gee is a multi-award-winning director with a proven track record of delivering impactful, visually engaging content. He won a prestigious Cannes Gold Award for his work in the health and safety sector, and his campaigns for Alzheimer’s Research UK and The Gates Foundation attracted global recognition and praise, cementing his reputation as a director who can bring important messages to life in a powerful and compelling way. His documentary work has been screened at festivals worldwide, including multiple BAFTA and Academy Award-qualifying festivals, demonstrating his ability to create films that resonate deeply with audiences. His approach to filmmaking blends cinematic visuals with intimate, emotional storytelling. By using the tools of cinema, Theo elevates emotion and depth, creating a unique connection between the subject and the audience.