TEN CHEFS were praised for the quality of their dishes in the National Chef of Wales final held at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) today (Monday).
“This competition is certainly gathering momentum, as we had more finalists than ever this year,” said WICC judging panel chairman Colin Gray. “It’s becoming iconic on the Welsh culinary calendar.

“There were high standards throughout and some standout dishes. We hope to have found a chef to represent us in the Global Chef Challenge at next year’s Worldchefs Congress & Expo which is being held in Wales and the UK for the first time.”
The WICC, which is being hosted by the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport and finishes with an awards dinner and ceremony on Wednesday night, is organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW).
The National Chef of Wales finalists must wait until the awards ceremony to discover who has won. Sam Everton from Llangeler, Llandysul, a catering lecturer at Coleg Ceredigion, Cardigan, is bidding to win the Junior and National Chef of Wales competitions in consecutive years.
The only chef to achieve this feat was Danny Burke, from Connah’s Quay who now runs Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn and was one of the final judges.
Wayne Barnard from Caerphilly, who works at Llechwen Hall Hotel near Pontypridd, is hoping to improve on his third place last year while Matthew Owen from Cardiff and Rebekah Wright, from Ebbw Vale, who both work at the Celtic Manor Resort, returned for another shot at the final.
They were lined up with Celtic Manor Resort colleagues Patrick Millard from Bargoed, Ionut Rosca from Newport, Gareth Jenkins from Fleur de Lis and Pratik Bhandarkar from Newport.
The other finalists were Sam Rust from Swansea, who works at The Grove, Narberth and Jordan Howorth from Baschurch, who works at Shrewsbury School for Independents by Sodexo.
The finalists were given three hours to cook three courses for 12 diners featuring GI Welsh ingredients and Cygnet Gin. The menu had to include a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, a main course featuring two different cuts of GI Welsh Beef and a dessert featuring hot, cold and chocolate elements and a biscuit or tuille.

The Welsh Apprentice Butcher of the Year final was contested by Kieran Thomas, who works for Albert Rees Ltd, Carmarthen Market and Ollie Holden-Davies, who works for Neil Powell Butchers, Hay-on-Wye. Both were praised by the judges for their work on their first major competition.
Sponsored by the CAW and Cambrian Training Company, the competition allowed the two butchers 30 minutes to cut a whole Welsh Lamb carcass into primal joints and one hour and 40 minutes to create a visually exciting display of products showcasing their skills and creativity.
Skills Competition Wales classed and WICC skills classes will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday, when the Junior Chef of Wales and Vegan Chef of Wales
The WICC is open free of charge to visitors, including pupils of local schools, and this year combines the Castell Howell Welsh Food and Drink Show.
Rebekah Wright will contest the Welsh Vegan Chef of the Year final against Celtic Manor Resort colleague Byron Burns, from Pontypool and former National Chef of Wales winner Ryan Jones, from Maesteg, head chef at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. They will cook a three course menu for six diners in two-and-a-half hours.
The competition, sponsored by Henley Bridge, challenges chefs to cook an appetiser with 50% warm components, a main course with a minimum of three components, including microgreens and a dessert including chocolate, tea and two fruit puree products.
The Junior Chef of Wales finalists are Katie Duffy who works at The Halfway, Llanelli who finished third last year, Junior Culinary Team Wales captain Calum Smith who works at Shrewsbury School for Independents at Sodexo and Niruth Wijetunga and Gold Ayinia-Adeyemi, both from Newport, who work at Celtic Manor Resort.
The chefs will have two-and-a-half hours to cook a three course pescatarian meal for six diners with a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, a main course featuring trout and a dessert including one hot and one chocolate element. The competition is sponsored by Cygnet Gin.
The winner will be automatically seeded into the UK semi-final of the Young National Chef of the Year.