WELSH CULINARY ASSOCIATION

 

ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP TO CHILE AWAITS WALES BEST YOUNG CHEF

 

Immediate: October 13, 2008

The best young chefs in Wales are being urged to showcase their skills by sending in their entries for a prestigious competition that will lead to a fantastic all expenses paid trip to compete in Chile.

The Young Welsh Chef of the Year competition is one of the showpiece events at the exciting new Welsh Chefs Conference at Glamorgan Cricket's SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff on November 19 and 20.

The competition is open to all chefs who will be under the age of 22 on January 1, 2009 and work and study in Wales. To stand a chance of securing their place in the showpiece final, the chefs must submit their own creative menu for a three course dinner for four persons, using Welsh Lamb, beef or pork and a selection of True Taste award winning products.

A judging panel will select six finalists from their entry and menu, which must be submitted by Friday, October 31. In the final, the young chefs will have three hours to produce their three course meal for four, watched by an audience of cooking enthusiasts.

The winner will be awarded an all expenses paid trip to Chile to compete at the World Association of Chefs' Societies' Junior Forum in January, 2010. He or she will also win the coveted trophy and have an opportunity to recreate the winning menu for 150 guests at a Welsh International Culinary Championships presentation dinner in Llandudno in February 2009

The competition, which is organised every two years by the Welsh Culinary Association (WCA), is sponsored jointly by Welsh Assembly Government to promote the food and drink industry brand 'True Taste', Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, the Applied Ability Awards and World Skills Wales.

One of the main organisers, Colin Gray, chairman of the Welsh Culinary Association's South Wales region, said: "It's a great honour to host this prestigious competition in Cardiff for the first time and we are all looking forward to seeing the best young chefs in Wales in action."

Welsh Culinary Association chairman Peter Jackson said he was delighted that, after 20 successful years in North Wales, the competition was being held in the Welsh capital. "I hope chefs across the nation will get behind this competition because there's a fantastic prize on offer," he added.

The Young Welsh Chef of the Year contest will be held on the first day of the inaugural Welsh Chefs Conference, which also includes Skills Competition Wales heats to identify future representatives for World Skills competition. The second day of the conference focuses on chef and butchery demonstrations and talks by leading chefs.

To give young chefs an opportunity to attend the conference as day delegates, the organisers are offering five free learner places to all hospitality training providers in Wales.

Entry forms have been sent to all the catering colleges, hotels and restaurants across Wales and must be returned to Karen Rees, Welsh Chefs Conference, c/o Tourism Training Forum for Wales, Unit 16, Frazer Buildings, 126 Bute Street, Cardiff Bay CF10 5LE or e-mailed to info@welshchefsconference.co.uk.