Welsh team success in Basel

The Welsh Culinary Team has returned to the UK laden with medals after its first attempt at the Salon Culinaire Mondial competition in Basel, Switzerland.

Scooping nine medals - five gold and four silver - the 15-strong team competed against 60 others to be placed in the top five regional teams worldwide. Team captain Graham Tinsley took a gold in the buffet category, and the team's showpiece - a Welsh rugby player sculpted from sugar paste - which took Tracey Edwards of Cadwean Bakery, Old Colwyn, five months to complete, was also rewarded with a gold.

The Scottish Culinary Team, led by Bruce Sangster of Lehman Brothers bank in the City of London, took a gold in the cold kitchen and silver in the hot, to be placed seventh overall. The top prize went to Sweden.

The team representing Compass proved that craft skills were alive and well in the contract catering sector. The team won 12 medals including six individual accolades in classes such as the five-course gourmet meal, restaurant platter for two, a meat or fish platter for 10, and a fat-sculpture centrepiece. The team was shadowed throughout by the students from Isle of Wight College who had been mentored by Compass during this year's Toque d'Or competition.

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See next week's issue for a full report from Basel.