Latest news with #Chapters
Powys County Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Powys restaurant rated among best in Wales picks up award
A Powys restaurant that works on wasting nothing is gaining recognition as one of the best in Wales after winning more awards. 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.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) 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.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) 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. Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app '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. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chapters Restaurant (@chapters_hayonwye) '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.'
CBC
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
How a new downtown venue could change the music scene in Ottawa
Last February, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and the head of Live Nation announced a new venue, History Ottawa, in the old Chapters on Rideau. CBC's Sandra Abma looks at how it might bring bigger names to the city when it opens.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tiny Welsh restaurant in a former jail where you can't choose what you eat and it's just won a place on a prestigious list
The owners of a tiny restaurant in Powys have spoken about their recent success after being awarded for their sustainability efforts for the second time. Chapters, which is nestled in Hay-on-Wye, was recognised for its efforts in sustainable practices and low waste philosophy with the prestigious three green circles award by 360°Eat Guide. It is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade, and comes three years after the Michelin Green Star, which they have upheld since 2022. The driving force behind this small 22-cover restaurant are husband and wife, Charmaine and Mark McHugo, who opened Chapters on Lion Street in the Powys town back in 2019. READ MORE: One of Cardiff's best independent coffee shops 'sad' as it closes after 11 years citing 'economic pressures' READ MORE: The pretty village pub with great-value food which just demands to be visited For the couple, the recent global award came as a surprise to them. "[360°Eat Guide] got in touch with us to say that somebody had eaten and that they were impressed and wanted to include us on the list," Charmaine explained. "We we didn't know that they'd come in," she continued. "It's quite a nice feeling to be recognised for that. We were absolutely delighted when we looked at the list of people that were included in it with us. "There's some incredible restaurants on that list. And so yes, we are really delighted to be part of it. It's amazing". While it may have come as an initial surprise, Charmaine, Mark and their team at the restaurant have worked hard to earn such a status. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here. Chapters sources its produce from its own kitchen garden, a half-acre plot located a few miles away within a private estate. While Charmaine oversees the growing operation and front of house, Mark is the head chef in the kitchen. The restaurant offers guests a single set menu, which changes every six weeks. Mark's cooking aims to depict a homely but refined style of modern British cuisine, which also focuses on preservation methods such as pickling and fermentation to ensure that dishes utilise all surplus produce from the garden. In an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discourse and in an industry that is prone to waste whether that is through food or packaging, Charmaine and Mark are both passionate about sustainability. "The sustainability side of things is at the core of the restaurant for us," Mark explained. "It's part of our day-to-day and it's part of our everyday conversations. When we discuss new menus or new products that we might be bringing in, it's part of those conversations all the time. "I don't think we are the best at banging our own drum about it. We don't always talk about these things to other people. So these awards are a nice reminder that we should be discussing what we do to the public. "We should be talking about it to our guests, promote the sustainability side of things and encourage other businesses to work in that way." Charmaine added: "I think sustainability in looking at the behind the scenes efforts of businesses is just crucial to our planet. "We have to look at these things. I think with regards to running a restaurant, you have to look at where your produce is coming from, what time of year you're buying certain ingredients, but it also comes down to things like the paper that we print our menus on. "It also comes down to how we treat our staff and how we support a community. I think it is integral to every single part of the business and it's important to us on a personal level". Charmaine's culinary journey began in her home city of Hereford, where she took on various front of house roles in her earlier career at restaurants including at The Clive Arms and Old Downtown Lodge in Ludlow. She then took on a role as a manager for Ludlow Food Centre, which she said opened her eyes to the world of artisanal produce, the importance of zero food miles and animal welfare. During this time, Charmaine began gardening as a hobby, a passion which grew and later led to her establishing Chapters very own garden, which she now maintains almost single-handedly throughout the year. Meanwhile, Mark, who is originally from Stourbridge, forged his career as a chef within kitchens and hotels around the West Midlands before relocating to the Middle East where he worked as chef de cuisine at Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman for three years. As he explained, it was here that he began taking interest in sustainable cooking. Mark eventually moved back to the UK and became a head chef at a modern brasserie in Hereford, which is where he met his future wife Charmaine in July 2017. With a shared ambition to have a place of their own and identifying a shortfall in high quality, eco-conscious dining experiences in the area, Charmaine and Mark began looking for potential spaces. Around a 40 minute drive outside of Hereford, the couple found the perfect place - the old meeting room of St John's Chapel in Hay-on-Wye, said to be one of the oldest buildings in the Powys town. "It was just perfect," Mark recalled. "It was once the meeting room for the chapel, but it's been many things over the years. It's been a school, a jail, a butcher's." He continued: "The space that we had, it was just the right size to do the food at a good standard." Chapters was officially opened in July 2019. According to the couple, the community have been kind to them over the years. By now, the couple live in Hay-on-Wye. "There was a lovely restaurant here before us," Charmaine explained. "And so people would come to us and tell us, 'you've got big shoes to fill', when we were setting up. "But everyone was very positive and delightful. In Hay-on-Wye, I'd say that 99% of the businesses are run by independents. "So there's a real different feel to it. And I think we were accepted quite quickly because we wanted to support the town and because we were using suppliers and tradespeople that were local. "Everyone started coming in quite quickly after that I think. It wasn't long before COVID happened and then we had to switch our business model to serving takeaways. "That worked quite nicely because it meant that we were able to carry on and we were accessible to a lot more people, which again, I think just helped with people's attitudes towards us. "I think we were accepted quite quickly and now I think we're well supported by the people of the town. I think we kind of fit in with the feel and the ethos of the town as well." By now, Chapters has been going for nearly six years, with three chefs in the kitchen, including Mark, a kitchen porter and Charmaine as the front of house. This time of year, guests can dine on wild venison dolmades, middle white pork loin with braised leeks from the garden, dark chocolate delice or Caws Cenarth with quince and seeded crackers for dessert. In its review of Chapters, 360°Eat Guide said: "It's not just the seasonal, varied menu that makes you want to return to Chapters, it's something about the approach and the sharing of knowledge that makes you crave more of the good." Meanwhile, back in 2022, the Michelin Guide spoke of the "whole team's passion for their way of working makes the place even more endearing". When asked how they felt about receiving such accolades, Charmaine replied: "It just fills you with pride and it makes you so happy to come to work every day." She continued: "We're really proud of what we're doing at the moment. It's the kind of restaurant that we'd like to come and eat in and we are really happy with how things are going."
Wales Online
03-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Tiny Welsh restaurant in a former jail where you can't choose what you eat and it's just won a place on a prestigious list
Tiny Welsh restaurant in a former jail where you can't choose what you eat and it's just won a place on a prestigious list Husband and wife-run Chapters in Hay on Wye already had a Michelin Green Star now it's achieved another accolade The 22-seat eatery has been awarded for its efforts in sustainability and is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade (Image: Natalie Moore ) The owners of a tiny restaurant in Powys have spoken about their recent success after being awarded for their sustainability efforts for the second time. Chapters, which is nestled in Hay-on-Wye, was recognised for its efforts in sustainable practices and low waste philosophy with the prestigious three green circles award by 360°Eat Guide. It is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade, and comes three years after the Michelin Green Star, which they have upheld since 2022. The driving force behind this small 22-cover restaurant are husband and wife, Charmaine and Mark McHugo, who opened Chapters on Lion Street in the Powys town back in 2019. For the couple, the recent global award came as a surprise to them. "[360°Eat Guide] got in touch with us to say that somebody had eaten and that they were impressed and wanted to include us on the list," Charmaine explained. "We we didn't know that they'd come in," she continued. "It's quite a nice feeling to be recognised for that. We were absolutely delighted when we looked at the list of people that were included in it with us. "There's some incredible restaurants on that list. And so yes, we are really delighted to be part of it. It's amazing". Article continues below While it may have come as an initial surprise, Charmaine, Mark and their team at the restaurant have worked hard to earn such a status. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here . Chapters sources its produce from its own kitchen garden, a half-acre plot located a few miles away within a private estate. While Charmaine oversees the growing operation and front of house, Mark is the head chef in the kitchen. Charmaine McHugo oversees the growing operation and front of house, while Mark McHugo is the head chef at Chapters (Image: Natalie Moore ) The restaurant offers guests a single set menu, which changes every six weeks. Mark's cooking aims to depict a homely but refined style of modern British cuisine, which also focuses on preservation methods such as pickling and fermentation to ensure that dishes utilise all surplus produce from the garden. In an era where environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discourse and in an industry that is prone to waste whether that is through food or packaging, Charmaine and Mark are both passionate about sustainability. "The sustainability side of things is at the core of the restaurant for us," Mark explained. "It's part of our day-to-day and it's part of our everyday conversations. When we discuss new menus or new products that we might be bringing in, it's part of those conversations all the time. "I don't think we are the best at banging our own drum about it. We don't always talk about these things to other people. So these awards are a nice reminder that we should be discussing what we do to the public. "We should be talking about it to our guests, promote the sustainability side of things and encourage other businesses to work in that way." Charmaine added: " I think sustainability in looking at the behind the scenes efforts of businesses is just crucial to our planet. "We have to look at these things. I think with regards to running a restaurant, you have to look at where your produce is coming from, what time of year you're buying certain ingredients, but it also comes down to things like the paper that we print our menus on. "It also comes down to how we treat our staff and how we support a community. I think it is integral to every single part of the business and it's important to us on a personal level". Charmaine's culinary journey began in her home city of Hereford, where she took on various front of house roles in her earlier career at restaurants including at The Clive Arms and Old Downtown Lodge in Ludlow. Charmaine McHugo oversees the growing operation and front of house at Chapters (Image: Natalie Moore ) She then took on a role as a manager for Ludlow Food Centre, which she said opened her eyes to the world of artisanal produce, the importance of zero food miles and animal welfare. During this time, Charmaine began gardening as a hobby, a passion which grew and later led to her establishing Chapters very own garden, which she now maintains almost single-handedly throughout the year. Meanwhile, Mark, who is originally from Stourbridge, forged his career as a chef within kitchens and hotels around the West Midlands before relocating to the Middle East where he worked as chef de cuisine at Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman for three years. As he explained, it was here that he began taking interest in sustainable cooking. Mark eventually moved back to the UK and became a head chef at a modern brasserie in Hereford, which is where he met his future wife Charmaine in July 2017. Mark McHugo forged his career as a chef within kitchens and hotels around the West Midlands before heading to Oman (Image: Natalie Moore ) With a shared ambition to have a place of their own and identifying a shortfall in high quality, eco-conscious dining experiences in the area, Charmaine and Mark began looking for potential spaces. Around a 40 minute drive outside of Hereford, the couple found the perfect place - the old meeting room of St John's Chapel in Hay-on-Wye, said to be one of the oldest buildings in the Powys town. "It was just perfect," Mark recalled. "It was once the meeting room for the chapel, but it's been many things over the years. It's been a school, a jail, a butcher's." He continued: "The space that we had, it was just the right size to do the food at a good standard." Chapters was officially opened in July 2019. According to the couple, the community have been kind to them over the years. By now, the couple live in Hay-on-Wye. The dishes and ethos of Chapters have been a huge hit with the local community of Hay-on-Wye (Image: Natalie Moore ) "There was a lovely restaurant here before us," Charmaine explained. "And so people would come to us and tell us, 'you've got big shoes to fill', when we were setting up. "But everyone was very positive and delightful. In Hay-on-Wye, I'd say that 99% of the businesses are run by independents. "So there's a real different feel to it. And I think we were accepted quite quickly because we wanted to support the town and because we were using suppliers and tradespeople that were local. "Everyone started coming in quite quickly after that I think. It wasn't long before COVID happened and then we had to switch our business model to serving takeaways. "That worked quite nicely because it meant that we were able to carry on and we were accessible to a lot more people, which again, I think just helped with people's attitudes towards us. "I think we were accepted quite quickly and now I think we're well supported by the people of the town. I think we kind of fit in with the feel and the ethos of the town as well." By now, Chapters has been going for nearly six years, with three chefs in the kitchen, including Mark, a kitchen porter and Charmaine as the front of house. This time of year, guests can dine on wild venison dolmades, middle white pork loin with braised leeks from the garden, dark chocolate delice or Caws Cenarth with quince and seeded crackers for dessert. In its review of Chapters, 360°Eat Guide said: "It's not just the seasonal, varied menu that makes you want to return to Chapters, it's something about the approach and the sharing of knowledge that makes you crave more of the good." Meanwhile, back in 2022, the Michelin Guide spoke of the "whole team's passion for their way of working makes the place even more endearing". When asked how they felt about receiving such accolades, Charmaine replied: "It just fills you with pride and it makes you so happy to come to work every day." She continued: "We're really proud of what we're doing at the moment. It's the kind of restaurant that we'd like to come and eat in and we are really happy with how things are going." Article continues below
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Tiny UK restaurant loved by Michelin is awarded highest honour in sustainable dining
Tiny UK restaurant loved by Michelin is awarded highest honour in sustainable dining Chapters has been recognised for its efforts in sustainable practices and low waste philosophy with a prestigious global award Chapters opened in Hay-on-Wye in 2019, received their Michelin Green Star in 2022 and have now received three green circles award from the 360°Eat Guide (Image: Instagram / @chapters_hayonwye ) A tiny restaurant in Powys has been awarded one of the most prestigious awards in the world. Chapters restaurant, which is located in Hay-on-Wye, has been awarded the coveted three green circles award from international restaurant awards body the 360°Eat Guide. The 22-seat eatery has been awarded for its efforts in sustainability and is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade. The three green circles award comes in addition to their Michelin Green Star, which they have upheld since 2022. The restaurant is run by Charmaine and Mark McHugo and is nestled over the English border of the quaint Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye. Chapters also functions as a bottleshop and is housed in an old meeting room of St John's Chapel, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here . The restaurant sources its produce from its own kitchen garden, a half-acre plot located a few miles away within a private estate. Charmaine oversees the growing operation and front of house, while Mark is the head chef. Article continues below The 22-seat eatery has been awarded for its efforts in sustainability and is one of only 15 restaurants in the UK to be awarded the accolade (Image: Chapters ) Presenting the award to the Welsh restaurant, 360°Eat Guide's review read: "It's not just the seasonal, varied menu that makes you want to return to Chapters, it's something about the approach and the sharing of knowledge that makes you crave more of the good. "Just a short distance from the restaurant are the fields where they source their vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers. Charmaine McHugo oversees the growing operation and front of house, while Mark McHugo is the head chef (Image: Chapters ) "The cooking feels genuine, curious, and distinctive—the craftsmanship and attention to detail bring out the maximum flavours without becoming pretentious. The wines are as carefully chosen as the ingredients; here, it's all about natural quality, nothing else!" According to 360°Eat Guide, the restaurant's sustainability highlights included a set menu to reduce waste, structured training, professional development, and growth opportunities for employees, including supplier visits and foraging walks, local suppliers promoted via social media, and green renewable electricity powering the restaurant. According to the restaurant, their single set menu changes every six weeks, which reflects the seasons. The chef's culinary style focuses on modern British cuisine and aims to ensure no surplus produce from the garden goes to waste. The restaurant is open for dinner from Thursday to Saturday, 5pm-10.30pm, and for lunch on Saturdays from 12-2pm starting from springtime. Article continues below
