JT Abergwaun Hotel wins Outstanding Restaurant at Food Awards Wales

At a glittering gourmet awards ceremony, held last night Monday, June 26, at The Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel, Fishguard’s JT Abergwaun Hotel scooped the Outstanding Restaurant of the Year award.

Food Awards Wales recognises and rewards the talent and hard work of the Welsh food industry, highlighting the best restaurants, takeaways, pubs, cafes, and producers.

The winners were selected based on the votes of the public, who nominated their favourite establishments across various categories.

Dan Jones of JT Abergwaun Hotel said that he was ‘blown away’ to get the award.

“We were just there because it’s something happening on a Monday night that we could just go and enjoy and spend some time together that’s not work.”

He puts the restaurant’s success down to having a great team behind him, including new wife Lois.

“We’ve been together for ten years, in business together as JT for seven years and married for two weeks,” he said. “We are both Thomas-Jones now so we are both JT.”

Since their wedding Dan and Lois have had a whirlwind two weeks, culminating in winning last night.

“It’s been an incredible couple of weeks for us,” said Dan who also won Pub Chef of the Year at the International Salon Culinaire awards last year.

“We have grown from a little pop up restaurant, to a restaurant, to a hotel and managed to keep the same standards.

“Everything we’ve done puts Fishguard on the foodie map.”

Dan said that the next few months look to be equally exciting with a couple of top secret projects that can’t be mentioned as well as a launching a completely new menu.

“Winning this award has given us the confidence to take the restaurant another step up. That’s really what we are excited about,” he said.