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National Chef of Wales News

Best of Wales on show in National Chef Contest Final

Four of the top chefs in Wales are heading for a St Valentine’s Day cook-off with a coveted national award and £3,000 prizemoney at stake.

The prestigious National Chef of Wales final brings together chefs from different parts of the country who will have three hours to prepare and cook a three course menu for four people.

The finalists will be competing under the critical gaze of experienced judges and spectators on the first day of the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea.

This biannual contest is organised by the Welsh Culinary Association and sponsored jointly by the Welsh Government, Unilever Food Solutions and Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales. In addition to the cudos of a national title, the winner will receive £2,000, while the runner up will take home £1,000.

The finalists are Chris Owen, 25, senior sous chef at The Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy, Jonathan Reed, 23, senior chef de partie at the Royal Sportsman Hotel, Porthmadog, Ryan Jones, 28, sous chef at Ffresh Restaurant at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff and Karl Jones Hughes, 37, head chef at Hotel Plas Hyfryd, Narberth.

Former Junior Chef of Wales champion, Owen is bidding to go one better this time after being runner up in the National Chef Wales contest two years ago. A member of the Welsh National Culinary Team, he is a seasoned competitor, having competed in the televised Masterchef: the Professionals and Britain’s Best Dish last year.

“I’m going to try not to make as many mistakes as I did last time, which cost of valuable points,” said Owen. “I’m going to keep the dishes simple and concentrate on getting things perfect.

“It has been an amazing 12 months for me. Competing on Masterchef helped me to understand the standard needed for a Michelin star, which I hope to achieve later in my career.”

Jones-Hughes, a former pastry chef with the Welsh National Culinary Team when working at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, has made a return to competition after a six-year absence.

“My past competition experience was all on the pastry side,” he said. “Having run by own business, it has refreshed my all-round cooking skills and given me the confidence to compete again. I was very surprised to reach the final but it shows there’s life in the old dog yet!

“I’m very much looking forward to the final because I really enjoyed competing with the Welsh team in the past. I’m hoping that it’s going to be a stepping stone to getting involved with the team again.”

Jones was “chuffed to bits” when he won the South Wales heat of the national competition in November and can’t wait for the final, when his commis chef will be his twin brother Neil.

“I’m a bit nervous but can’t wait to get in the kitchen,” he said. “I’m not going there for second place. It all depends who cooks the best on the day, but it would mean everything to me to win the competition. I have wanted to compete since my college days when my tutor was Doug Windsor, a former winner.”

Like Jones-Hughes and Jones, Reed has reached the final at the first attempt and is looking forward to the occasion.

“My nerves got the better of me in the North Wales heat, so I know I can do a lot better,” he confessed. “I’m not too bothered what the other chefs will be doing, I just want to get my head down and show what I can do.

“Eventually I want to own my own restaurant somewhere in Wales. I want to stay in Wales because of the quality of lamb, beef and other ingredients here is amazing.”

Welsh Culinary Association chairman Peter Jackson, executive chef at Bodnant Welsh Food, is predicting a very closely contested final. “These are all talented chefs and it is going to be a very competitive final.” He said.