Welsh Culinary Team win Silver and bronze at the Culinary Olympics
The senior and junior Welsh National Team has won silver in the hot kitchen element at the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany last week.
The senior team also picked up a bronze medal and the junior chefs collected a diploma in the cold display buffet table.
Team manager Graham Tinsley, executive chef at De Vere Carden Park near Chester, said the strict judging criteria was a major talking point at the competition. Only six gold medals out of a possible 70 were awarded to the 35 national teams competing in the senior competition.
"The hardness of the judges' marking is what everybody is talking about because there is no way that the standards were poor," he said.
"We have proved that we are still good in the hot kitchen, but we have a lot of work to do on the cold table if we are going to reach gold standard.
"The target is not just about winning medals, it's about growing the team, giving our young chefs international competition experience and promoting Wales on the world stage," Tinsley added.
The Welsh senior team comprised captain Dave Kelman, executive head chef at the Ellenborough Park Hotel, Cheltenham, Sally Owens, lecturer at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Gennaro Adaggio, head chef at La Dolce Vita, Shrewsbury, Karl Jones-Hughes, head chef at Hotel Plas Hyfryd, Narberth and Hefin Roberts, head chef at Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn and Townhouse, Beaumaris.
The junior team, coached by Mike Evans, a catering lecturer at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Rhos on Sea, comprised captain Dion Jones from the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel and Spa, near Chester, Adam Middleton from Bodysgallen Hall Hotel, Llandudno, Chris Tull from the Castle Hotel, Conwy, Shon Morgan from Park Lodge Hotel, Aberystwyth and Harri Williams from De Vere Carden Park.
The teams were supported by Peter Fuchs, food a beverage director at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Ryan Jones, sous chef at Ffresh Restaurant at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Chris Owen, senior sous chef at The Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy, Kevin Williams, director of catering and hospitality at Coleg Harlech and Mark Jones, who now works in London.
The Welsh National Culinary Team is sponsored by the Welsh Government, Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales, C&C Catering Equipment Ltd, Brakes, Unilever Foodsolutions UK, Villeroy and Boch and Friedr. Dick, Germany. Under a four-year partnership agreement with the Welsh Culinary Association, Grŵp Llandrillo Cymru provides a base, sponsorship and a coach for the junior team.
English National Culinary Team win silver at Culinary Olympics >>
By Katherine Alano
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