…as Les Rennie calls it a day at Ynyshir Hall

Les Rennie, the chef who earned Ynyshir Hall in Eglwysfach, Powys, a Michelin star in 2002, has left the country house hotel after three-and-a-half years.

Speaking exclusively to Caterer, Rennie confirmed that he left the Welsh hotel last month and intended to take four months off before looking for a new post. "I'm aiming to do a few stages as a bit of a refresher and to open my eyes to new things. You never stop learning," he said.

Rennie said that he had had a "great run" at Ynyshir Hall, but that he felt the time was right for him to move on. "I'd like to work somewhere a little bigger - if the right thing came up in Wales, I wouldn't say no".

Rob Reen, Ynyshir Hall's co-owner, said: "When Les first joined us he said he could give us three to four years and he told us about six months ago that he was ready to move on. It was an amicable parting."

In addition to a Michelin star, Rennie's cooking has earned the hotel a seven out of 10 rating in the Good Food Guide, and in 2002 the hotel itself won the Independent Hotel of the Year Catey.

The hotel's new head chef is Adam Simmonds, who joined Ynyshir Hall from Jean-Christophe Novelli's Auberge du Lac at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.

Simmonds will take over Ynyshir's kitchen when the hotel re-opens in February after closing in January for its annual leave.