Powys restaurant rated among best in Wales picks up award
Chapters in Hay on Wye has picked up another set of awards after being recognised with 360 Eats prestigious Three Green Circles.
For husband-and-wife team Mark and Charmaine McHugo, this is the latest set of accolades and is recognition of their zero-waste philosophy.
'Buying food and it going in the bin is not a possibility for us,' said Charmaine. 'We offer a seasonally changing set menu, that will change maybe every six weeks or so.
'There is a massive focus on seasonal produce, locally sourced produce, whatever we can grow we do but we really like to support other businesses around hay on wye.
'We are ridiculously spoilt for choice with the producers in the area, there are some wonderful things going on.'
The pair are coming up to their sixth year running the restaurant on Lion Street which has become a favourite of customers and critics alike.
'We have both been in the industry for a while, said Mark. 'We met in a restaurant in Hereford. We just hit it off and after being together for a couple of years, we decided we wanted to do a restaurant for ourselves.
'We were looking in Hereford at first but then this place in Hay on Wye came up and it was just perfect.'
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The pair had a rocky start with the covid pandemic hitting only months after Chapters opened in 2019.
'It was about eight months into opening when that happened,' said Charmaine. 'We were quite lucky we got to stay open for open but also, we were well supported through that time when we had to change the business model.
'We were just putting out weekly takeaway menus. It was just Mark and me in the kitchen at that time and we had a really lovely amount of support from the people of Hay.
'We got to know the locals through that period so when we reopened, we had really nice amount of support.'
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Since they reopened properly in 2022, the accolades have rolled in including being named the Wales Slow Food Awards restaurant of the year and Mark being named the best Chef in Wales.
Chapters has also held a coveted Michelin Green Star since 2022. They have now picked up the 360°Eat Guide award Three green Circles which not only rated them as having the best menu in Wales, they also recognised them for their sustainability, lack of waste and the good relationship with their staff.
'It's amazing getting that recognition, it makes us so proud to be doing what we are doing,' said Mark.
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'It's interesting, restaurants should be pushed more to think about the whole package but I think more and more places are beginning to think like this,' added Charmaine.
'You are missing on a load of good flavour as well, they add to dishes. One thing we are doing in the kitchen is make our own treacle.
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'It's a vegetable treacle, its using the vegetable peelings. They might go in a stock in some places.
'However, we cook it down into a treacle and that element is used in as an ingredient when we bake bread.
'It's finding interesting things to do with the ingredients to add another level of flavour.'
Mark added: 'I think we are just going to try and keep doing what we are doing really. We are looking forward to a nice busy summer and the Hay Festival. Which should be tough but good.'
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