Historic Welsh restaurant celebrates 17 years of Michelin-star success

A renowned Welsh restaurant is celebrating 17 consecutive years with a Michelin star after receiving its latest red plaque.

The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny shared a video of the moment head chef Shaun Hill accepted the plaque, marking the restaurant’s Michelin-star status, to their social media on Friday 24 April.

The restaurant’s team wrote: “We’re incredibly proud to share that we have retained our Michelin Star for the 17th consecutive year – a remarkable achievement and a true testament to the consistency, creativity and passion of the whole team led by the marvellous Shaun Hill.

“Thank you MICHELIN Guide for the continued recognition and support.”

Though the Michelin Guide ceremony for Great Britain and Ireland took place on 9 February 2026, restaurants typically receive their plaques at a later date.

Originally opened in 1963, The Walnut Tree achieved its first Michelin Star in 2002 under head chef Stephen Terry.

However, following his departure in 2004 the restaurant ran into trouble, even enlisting the help of Gordon Ramsay through his television series Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

Financial issues persisted and The Walnut Tree closed for a brief period, before reopening in 2008 under a new partnership between William Griffiths and head chef Shaun Hill.

A Michelin-starred veteran with more than five decades spent in kitchens, Hill has worked at Gidleigh Park in Devon, the Capital Hotel and Blakes in London, and opened the acclaimed Merchant House in Ludlow in 1994.

Within a year of reopening, The Walnut Tree was named the best restaurant in Wales and the UK by the AA and SquareMeal respectively. The restaurant then regained its star in 2010 and has held onto it every year since.

Describing the dishes that “turned the restaurant’s fading fortunes around”, Great British Chefs writes that: “[Hill’s] plates eschew precise, laboured arrangement and decoration.

“But what his food at The Walnut Inn does offer is the same unbridled deliciousness of his other Michelin-level venues – plates that display his innate understanding of beautiful ingredients, prepared with a restrained hand in his timeless and distinctive style.”

The Walnut Tree is Hill’s third Michelin-starred restaurant, prioritising simplicity and skill while serving seasonal dishes that “honour the landscape.”

In deciding whether to award a Michelin star, inspectors grade restaurants on “five universal criteria” including quality of ingredients, flavours, culinary techniques, a chef’s personal spin on dishes, and consistency across the menu and time.

The Michelin Guide praises Hill as the “quintessential chef’s chef”, highlighting his understanding of flavours.

The Guide reads: “It’s hard not to love Walnut Tree; it’s got a cosy, open-fired bar, a dining room adorned with colourful art, and owners who run it with heart and soul…

“[Hill’s] overtly seasonal cooking blends the classical and the modern across dishes that are prepared with a no-frills, yet consistently delicious approach.

“Fish is a particular strength, be it red mullet with dashi or cod with brown shrimps, and the muscat crème caramel is a great way to finish.”

As well as the longest standing Michelin Star in Welsh history, the restaurant also boasts three AA rosettes and won Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year at the Welsh Restaurant Awards 2026.

The Walnut Tree serves lunch Wednesday to Saturday from 12pm – 2.15pm, and dinner 6pm to 9.30pm. There is both a set menu and à la carte menu available.

For more information and to book, visit their site here.