Exceptionally focused, quietly confident, and uncompromising in his standards, Nathan Davies is one of the most compelling chefs to emerge from the UK’s modern fire-led movement. After honing his craft at Gareth Ward’s Ynyshir and earning Michelin’s Best New Opening recognition with SY23, Davies has channeled everything he’s learned into Vraic, an intimate, 24-cover restaurant on the island of Guernsey that has already cemented itself as a true destination for serious diners.
At Vraic, fire is not a technique but a philosophy, and the island’s wild coastline and its intensely local produce define the menu as much as Davies’ precision and restraint. It’s a restaurant built on conviction, trust in ingredients, and a rare clarity of vision.
In this exclusive Chef’s Pencil interview, Davies opens up about the moments that shaped him as a chef, the realities of running a fire-led tasting menu on an island, and what it really takes to build something exceptional far from the spotlight of major food cities.
1. You previously led the kitchen at Gareth Ward’s Ynyshir and later opened SY23, which was recognised with Michelin’s Best New Opening. What did those chapters teach you that ultimately gave you the confidence to open Vraic?
They taught me consistency, standards, and how important it is to get those right in every single aspect of the business. They also gave me the confidence to be creative in what I put on the plate and to stand by it.
2. Vraic is a deeply personal project, launched alongside your wife and operations manager, Hollie. How did you divide responsibilities from the outset, and how has working so closely together shaped the restaurant?
Working together has shaped the restaurant in every single way. We have very different outlooks, but we work well as a team. For me, it’s operational – how does it work, and can it be repeatable? Hollie focuses on the detail of front of house and sees everything from the guest’s perspective. She really cares about how the experience feels for the customer.
Working together has been huge, and I also have a very close bond with my chef, Kuba, who plays a fundamental part across all aspects of the business as well.
3. Opening a 24-cover restaurant on Guernsey is a bold decision. What drew you to the island, and what opportunities did you see there that you felt couldn’t be replicated elsewhere?
One of the most important things for us was that the produce had to be amazing and match the standard we wanted to cook at. The location itself is incredible – we stumbled across a beautiful site that shaped not just the outside, but the inside as well, and completely transformed the guest experience. That’s the unique opportunity here. I don’t believe it could be replicated elsewhere.
4. Guernsey is famous for its dairy and incredible seafood. Is there a specific local producer or a “wild” ingredient found on the island’s cliffs or shores that has completely surprised you with its quality since you arrived?
The first wild ingredient that really surprised and intrigued me – and ended up shaping the style of the restaurant – is seaweed. The abundance, the variety, and the number of different ways we can use it has been incredible.
From a farming point of view, the local citrus has been unbelievable. We have local oranges, lemons and yuzu, which came as a real shock.
5. Michelin recently described your fire-led cooking as “the very definition of a destination restaurant.” What does that phrase mean to you, and was creating a destination always part of the vision for Vraic?
Any praise from the Guide is an incredible honour. Given the location, the goal was always to build something that would entice people to come to Guernsey – to see it, experience it and enjoy it.
For it to happen so quickly is the surprising part, and it really means a lot.
6. Fire plays a central role in your cooking. What does cooking over fire allow you to express that more conventional kitchen setups don’t?
It’s different every service. We can bring in flavour from the fire itself, using different woods, coals, hay and pine.
Fire is the first main ingredient – what are we going to cook on? It gives us a whole new palette of flavours. You can’t get the same effect in a pan; the flames kiss the food, creating deep caramelisation and those little charred edges.
7. Is there a dish on the current menu that best represents Vraic right now—and why does it feel particularly important at this moment?
The seaweed broth. It’s one of the first courses we serve. There can be anywhere from eight to fifteen different types of seaweed, all prepared in different ways, finished with a broth made from locally grown chillies and toasted seaweed, seasoned with soy, miso and rice vinegar.
It’s early in the menu, but it tells guests exactly what we’re about and what to expect from the rest of the meal – lots of texture and lots of flavour.
8. Island seasonality can be much more distinct than on the mainland. How do you manage the “leaner” months of winter on Guernsey, and what preserved or fermented elements from the summer harvest play a key role in your winter menus?
Seasonality is huge for us. Being a little further south actually gives us an extended growing season. In the leaner months, we lean into fermented grains and preserved ingredients, like blackened garlic.
We dry seaweeds, make things like sloe gin, and use preserves across the menu. Dried seaweed, in particular, is quite special – it gives a completely different flavour and lets you use it in new ways.
9. What’s something diners might not fully realise about the level of preparation, planning, and restraint required to deliver a fire-led tasting menu at this level?
The hours that go into it. A lot of the menu is prepared during the day leading up to service. We cook almost nothing in advance – no pre-portioned meat or fish.
We cook lamb on the bone and fish whole, which is quite a daring move on a tasting menu because things can go south very quickly. There’s a huge amount cooked à la minute compared to most restaurants, and that often surprises people.
10. Looking back, was there a particular moment—either at Ynyshir, SY23, or Vraic— that marked a turning point in how you see yourself as a chef?
Winning a Michelin star at SY23 was the biggest shift – not just in how I saw myself, but how others saw me and the restaurant. Having that stamp of approval from Michelin has shaped my career ever since.
11. For chefs considering opening a restaurant outside a major food city, what advice would you give based on your experience in Guernsey?
Go for it. Be strong, stick to your guns, and be conscious of your surroundings and the guests you’re likely to attract – whether they’re local or travelling. Be brave and enjoy the process.
12. On a personal level, what has opening Vraic taught you about yourself that you didn’t fully understand before becoming a chef?
What Vraic has really taught me is how important relationships are – with my wife, my kids and my team. Without the right people around you, you’re always weakened. That applies to life as much as it does to restaurants. Surround yourself with good people.
13. Many home cooks are intimidated by cooking over live fire or using high-end techniques. What is one “pro move”—perhaps a specific way of treating a fish or a secret to a base sauce—that can help a home cook achieve that deep, umami-rich “Nathan Davies” flavor at home?
The biggest tip is practice. It sounds simple, but people often only cook over fire in the summer and then forget about it. If you enjoy it, try to do it weekly or monthly so when summer comes around, you’re already dialled in.
Keep it simple. Use the best wood or coal you can, and good-quality produce. Whatever you put on the fire isn’t going to magically get better just because it’s over coals. Do the basics right and the rest takes care of itself.
14. Finally, when people talk about Vraic ten years from now, what do you hope they remember most about the food, the experience, and its place in the wider UK dining landscape?
I’d love people to remember it as a fun, tasty restaurant with great hospitality – somewhere they created really lovely memories.
Chef Nathan Davies | Instagram
Vraic
Mont Cuet Rd, Guernsey GY3 5AT, Guernsey
