Corrin Harrison: Inspiring Rise in British Fine Dining

From Hackney kitchens to Gwen and Great British Menu success

British Blog2 weeks ago

0 6 9 minutes read

Introduction

Corrin Harrison is an English-born professional chef known for his bold modern cooking, leadership at Gwen restaurant and appearances on BBC Two’s Great British Menu.

Born in Hackney, London, he originally dreamed of becoming a footballer. However, encouragement from a family friend and memories of his late grandfather’s cooking led him towards a professional kitchen career.

He later worked at Rosewood London, developed his skills in Vienna and moved to Wales to join Ynyshir. His career reached a wider audience after he represented Wales twice on Great British Menu.

Corrin Harrison is best known as the former head chef of Gwen and a two-time Great British Menu regional winner.

Corrin Harrison Quick Profile

Information	Details
Full Name	Corrin Harrison
Birthplace	Hackney, London, England
Profession	Professional chef
Career Start	Entered professional kitchens at around 16
Former Workplace	Rosewood London
European Experience	Two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Vienna
Ynyshir Career	Joined in 2017 and later became head chef
Gwen Role	Head chef from its 2023 opening until May 2026
Television	Great British Menu 2024 and 2026
Major Award	Food and Travel Breakthrough Chef of the Year 2023
Cooking Style	Modern British food with bold international influences
Known For	Gwen, Ynyshir and Great British Menu
Public Instagram	@cwharrison1
Current Status	Professional chef and television cooking personality

Who Is Corrin Harrison?

Corrin Harrison is a chef whose career has developed through high-level restaurant kitchens in London, Austria and Wales.

He became particularly well known through his work with chef Gareth Ward at Ynyshir, one of the most recognised fine-dining restaurants in Wales.

Harrison later became the head chef of Gwen in Machynlleth. The intimate restaurant allowed him to create a tasting menu that reflected his own ideas, personality and cooking style.

His television appearances introduced his work to people outside the restaurant industry. He won the Wales regional heat of Great British Menu in both 2024 and 2026.

Early Life in Hackney

Corrin Harrison was born in Hackney, East London.

During his early years, he wanted to become a footballer rather than a professional chef. Cooking became a serious career option after a family friend who worked as a head chef encouraged him to enter the industry.

He was also influenced by memories of his late grandfather’s food. That personal connection helped him see cooking as something creative and meaningful rather than only a job.

Harrison entered a professional kitchen at around the age of 16. From that point, practical experience and daily kitchen work became central to his development.

Professional Kitchen Training

Harrison’s early documented career included work at Rosewood London, a luxury hotel known for its restaurants and high hospitality standards.

Working in London gave him experience in a demanding professional environment where organisation, consistency and attention to detail were essential.

He later moved to Vienna and worked at a restaurant holding two Michelin stars. This European experience exposed him to another level of technique, discipline and fine-dining service.

His career was built through practical kitchen development and steady professional progress. A similar commitment to learning through real experience can be seen in Fabio Wardley’s professional rise.

Joining Ynyshir in Wales

In 2017, Harrison moved to Wales and joined Gareth Ward’s team at Ynyshir.

Ynyshir had already developed a reputation for bold tasting menus, strong Asian influences and a style that did not follow traditional fine-dining rules.

Harrison progressed through the kitchen and became head chef approximately four years after joining the restaurant.

His role required him to maintain Ynyshir’s demanding standards while helping lead the kitchen team through long and technically challenging services.

He was part of the senior team when Ynyshir gained its second Michelin star in 2022. Michelin stars are awarded to restaurants, but Harrison’s leadership role made him an important member of the operation during that successful period.

Becoming Head Chef of Gwen

Gareth Ward and Amelia Eiriksson created Gwen as a more intimate restaurant in Machynlleth.

Harrison was chosen to lead its kitchen and develop the food. Gwen opened in May 2023 with a communal open-kitchen experience and a multi-course tasting menu.

The smaller dining room allowed Harrison and his team to communicate directly with guests. Cooking and service became part of the same experience.

Gwen’s menu combined British produce, international ideas and strong flavours. The restaurant gave Harrison greater creative control over the food, drinks and atmosphere.

The Michelin-listed Gwen restaurant was praised for its creativity, skill and the personality Harrison brought to both the cooking and service.

Gwen’s Success in Wales

Gwen quickly became one of the most discussed small restaurants in Wales.

Its limited number of guests created a close dining experience where customers could watch the dishes being prepared in front of them.

The restaurant was named the best restaurant in Wales in the 2025 Harden’s guide. It also performed strongly in the following survey period.

Harrison’s food at Gwen became known for technical accuracy, bold sauces, creative combinations and carefully controlled tasting-menu portions.

His leadership at the restaurant also strengthened his independent public identity. He was no longer known only as a senior chef from Ynyshir but as the person shaping Gwen’s complete food experience.

Great British Menu 2024

Harrison first represented Wales on Great British Menu in 2024.

That series celebrated the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Harrison created a menu inspired by Welsh hurdler Colin Jackson and the wider achievements of British athletes.

He won the Wales regional heat and progressed to finals week.

During the final rounds, he finished first in the starter competition and second in the dessert round. Although his main courses were not selected for the banquet, he finished as the highest-scoring chef without a winning course.

That performance earned him the opportunity to prepare the banquet canapés.

The sporting theme connected his cooking with the achievements of Team GB figures, whose modern success also includes Kieran Reilly’s Olympic journey.

Great British Menu 2026

Harrison returned to Great British Menu in 2026 and again represented Wales.

The series celebrated British films, actors, filmmakers and famous filming locations.

He won the Wales heat after competing against John Chantarasak, Carl Cleghorn and Dan Andrée. That victory sent him into finals week for the second time.

His strongest result came in the fish round with a dish called The Secret Garden. It was inspired by The Secret Garden and its connection with Bodnant Garden in Wales.

The judges selected his fish dish for the final banquet. He also achieved strong positions across the other finals-week courses.

Harrison later withdrew from the banquet for publicly stated personal reasons. Nikita Pathakji, who had finished second in the fish round, stepped in to prepare her own dish.

No further claims about the reason for his withdrawal have been added.

Cooking Style and Influences

Corrin Harrison’s style is usually described as modern British cooking supported by global influences.

His time at Ynyshir introduced him to powerful Asian flavours, precise seasoning and the use of fire and charcoal.

He combines these influences with British ingredients and classical kitchen skills. His dishes are often built around clear flavours rather than unnecessary decoration.

Precision is an important part of his work. Small tasting-menu dishes require every element to be prepared and served consistently.

His cooking also shows a willingness to transform familiar ideas. A traditional ingredient or flavour may be presented through a modern sauce, snack, dessert or carefully constructed course.

One documented example is his sourdough ice cream with miso caramel, which combined food-waste reduction with sweet, salty and fermented flavours.

Breakthrough Chef of the Year

Harrison received the Breakthrough Chef of the Year award at the 2023 Food and Travel Reader Awards.

The category was decided through an industry vote.

The award recognised his development as a leading chef and arrived during the same year that Gwen opened.

It also showed that his work was receiving attention beyond Ynyshir and the Welsh restaurant community.

Television and Public Recognition

Great British Menu gave Harrison a much larger television audience.

The programme allowed viewers to see how he developed ideas, handled criticism, managed pressure and presented technically demanding dishes.

His two regional victories showed that his first successful appearance was not an isolated result.

Television has also helped other modern British personalities reach audiences beyond their original careers, including Harleymoon Kemp’s television journey.

Harrison has also appeared on James Martin’s Saturday Morning, adding another national television credit to his professional profile.

Public Image and Work Ethic

Harrison’s public image is strongly connected with discipline, creativity and calm professional progress.

He spent years working through demanding restaurant roles before receiving widespread television attention.

His move from Ynyshir to Gwen showed that he was ready to take greater responsibility for menu development, team leadership and the complete dining experience.

When discussing the end of his Gwen chapter, he expressed pride in the restaurant and thanked Gareth Ward and Amelia Eiriksson for providing creative freedom.

His comments also recognised the work of his kitchen team and the support received from the Machynlleth community.

Leaving Gwen in 2026

Harrison and his team completed their time at Gwen in May 2026.

The move ended a three-year period in which he helped establish the restaurant, develop its tasting menu and earn national recognition.

He described the decision as an opportunity to finish the chapter positively and move towards something new.

The details surrounding Corrin Harrison’s departure from Gwen showed that the change was planned rather than the result of a public dispute.

Gwen later continued under new kitchen leadership.

Career Timeline

Early Career

Harrison entered professional kitchens at around 16 after receiving encouragement from a family friend.

Rosewood London

He developed experience in a luxury London hotel and restaurant environment.

Vienna

He moved to Austria and worked at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant.

2017

Harrison relocated to Wales and joined Ynyshir.

Around 2021

He became head chef at Ynyshir after progressing through the restaurant’s kitchen team.

2022

Ynyshir received its second Michelin star while Harrison was part of its senior kitchen leadership.

2023

He became head chef of Gwen when the Machynlleth restaurant opened.

He also received the Food and Travel Breakthrough Chef of the Year award.

2024

He won the Wales heat of Great British Menu and prepared the banquet canapés.

2025

Gwen was named the best restaurant in Wales in the Harden’s guide.

2026

He won the Wales heat of Great British Menu for a second time and secured the winning fish course during finals week.

He completed his time as Gwen’s head chef in May 2026.

Current Status

As of June 2026, Corrin Harrison has completed his head-chef role at Gwen.

He remains publicly represented as a professional chef with experience in Michelin-level kitchens, restaurant leadership and national television competitions.

His reputation continues to be linked with modern British cooking, bold flavour combinations and his two successful Great British Menu campaigns.

Interesting Facts About Corrin Harrison

He was born in Hackney, East London.
He originally wanted to become a footballer.
A family friend encouraged him to consider professional cooking.
His late grandfather’s food influenced his interest in becoming a chef.
He began working in professional kitchens at around 16.
He worked at Rosewood London before moving to Vienna.
He joined Ynyshir in 2017.
He later became head chef at Ynyshir.
He opened Gwen as head chef in 2023.
He won the Wales heat of Great British Menu twice.
He prepared the banquet canapés during the 2024 series.
He won the 2026 finals-week fish course with The Secret Garden.
He received the 2023 Breakthrough Chef of the Year award.
His cooking combines modern British ideas with international influences.

Conclusion

Corrin Harrison built his career through years of practical kitchen work in London, Vienna and Wales.

His progression at Ynyshir helped prepare him for the responsibility of leading Gwen, where he developed a more personal style of cooking and service.

Two successful appearances on Great British Menu introduced his creativity to a national audience.

After completing his Gwen chapter in May 2026, Harrison remains recognised as a skilled chef whose career combines fine dining, television and bold modern British food.