Prince of wales "delighted" to continue as welsh chefs' patron

Chefs from the Welsh National Culinary Team were given a special reason for celebration on St David’s Day when The Prince of Wales agreed to carry on as their patron for another five years.

A Clarence House spokesperson said The Prince of Wales was „delighted“ to extend his patronage of the team until 2011.

Team manager Graham Tinsley, co-owner of the Castle Hotel, Conwy and Nant Hall, Prestatyn, was thrilled by the news, which aptly arrived on St David’s Day.

„The team is very proud to have The Prince of Wales as its patron and it was great to receive the news on St David’s Day,“ he said.

„It’s a massive honour to have such a prominent name behind you. It certainly helped us to gain national status from the World Association of Cooks’ Societies in 2002. Our aim is to continue to achieve success and climb the world rankings during his patronage.“

The team has cooked for The Prince of Wales six times, including a private dinner at his Highgrove home.

The Welsh chefs are currently ranked seventh in the world, having won gold medals in their last two competitions – the World Culinary Masters competition in Basle, Switzerland last November and the Battle for the Dragon contest on home soil last week. Next up for the team is the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg in November.

The Welsh National Culinary Team is sponsored by the Welsh Development Agency, C&C Catering Equipment Ltd, Brakes, Unilever Foodsolutions UK, Catering Engineers (N.W.) Ltd, Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, Gourmet Classic Ltd, Villeroy and Boch and Friedr. Dick, Germany.

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