Eleven chefs selected to compete in Junior Chef of Wales contest

16 December 2014 by Hannah Thompson

Eleven chefs have been selected to compete for the Junior Chef of Wales title, and will take part in two regional heats over the next month.

Organised every two years by the Culinary Association of Wales, the Junior Chef of Wales contest is sponsored by the Welsh Government to promote the Food and Drink Wales brand.

The chosen chefs are split between north and south Wales, must be between 17 and 23 years of age on 1 February 2015, and of Welsh descent, or working or studying for a catering qualification in Wales.

The six chefs from the north will compete in the Coleg Llandrillo, Rhos-on-Sea heat, while five from the south will take part in the Coleg y Cymoedd, Nantgarw heat, both on 14 January.

The winners of each heat will then compete in the final at Coleg Llandrillo on 16 February, to win the prize of an all-expenses paid trip to represent Wales at the Junior Forum at the World Association of Chefs' Societies Congress in Athens, Greece, in May 2016.

Culinary Association Wales president Colin Gray explained that the competition could act as a stepping stone for the chefs to join the junior Culinary Team Wales in future, citing names such as 2013 Junior Chef of Wales winner Chris Tull, who captained the junior Culinary Team Wales at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg last month and helped win silver and bronze medals.

Gray said: "The contest provides the perfect platform for young chefs to demonstrate their skills and catch the eye of national team selectors. Previous winners have gone on to compete for Wales at all the major culinary competitions around the world."

FULL LIST OF COMPETITORS

North Wales