Dubai Trip Awaits Junior Chef of Whales Champion and Mentor

A once-in-a-lifetime trip to the United Arab Emirates awaits the winner of a prestigious competition to find the best young chef in Wales.

The star prize for National Junior Chef of Wales champion and his or her mentor will be an all expenses paid visit to compete at the World Associations of Chefs’ Societies’ Junior Forum in Dubai in May, 2008.

The path to Dubai begins for all young Welsh chefs and their mentors in three regional heats to be held in January, 2007. Winners of the regional heats plus the best runner up overall will qualify for the national final cook off at the Welsh International Salon Culinaire to be staged at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea on February 20 next year.

Apart from winning the trip to Dubai and the coveted national title, the winner will also be asked to recreate his menu for 120 guests at a presentation dinner to be held at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru on March 28.

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

Chefs, who must be under the age of 22 on May 1, 2007, are being urged to submit their entries, including their own creative menu for a three course dinner, by December 10. The menu must include some winning products from the annual True Taste awards and the chefs will be given three hours to prepare and cook their dishes.

The regional heats are being held in North Wales at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru on January 22, in South Wales at UWIC, Cardiff on January 23 and in Mid Wales at Coleg Powys, Newtown on January 24.

Welsh Culinary Association chairman Peter Jackson said he hoped the fantastic prize would encourage a bumper entry from young Welsh chefs across the country.

„Competing at the Junior Forum in Dubai will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one young Welsh chef, who will hopefully go on to represent the Welsh National Culinary Team on the world stage,“ he said. „I would encourage all young chefs to enter to showcase their talent.

„It’s also a wonderful opportunity for mentors, who can be either a lecturer, trainer or chef in the kitchen where the young chef works. As an association, we felt that mentors should be rewarded for the important role they play in the training and developing young chefs.“

Gary Griffiths, of the Castle Hotel, Conwy, who won the National Junior Chef of Wales title in 2005, went on to win a gold medal and finish third in the Junior Forum in New Zealand earlier this year.

Entry forms have been sent to all the catering colleges, hotels and restaurants across Wales and the form can also be downloaded from the Welsh Culinary Association’s website at www.welshculinaryassociation.com. For more information contact Mr Jackson, The Bungalow, Maes y Neuadd, Talsarnau, Harlech, Gwynedd LL47 6Y, e-mail [email protected] or call 01766 780 200.

Source; nkf-chefs.com