Eight talented Welsh chefs will cook off in the prestigious 2026 National Chef of Wales final to be held at ICC Wales, Newport early in the new year
Both the National and Junior Chef of Wales finals, organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), are being held alongside the Castell Howell Trade Food Service Show at ICC Wales on January 20 and 21.
The National Chef of Wales final – the country’s premier culinary competition – will be contested over two heats on January 21.
The finalists are Daniel Jones from Abergwaun Hotel, Fishguard; Dion Jones from Rookery Hall Hotel, Crewe; Gareth Crimmins from Heaneys Restaurant, Cardiff; Matthew Owen, Goncalo Silva and Ionutz Bucataru from the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport; Sam Rust from Parc Le Breos House, Parkmill, Gower and Wayne Barnard from Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, Pontyclun.
Finalists multiple times, Barnard was a silver medallist in 2024 while Owen was third last year. It’s the second time for Rust in the final which sees a return to the competition of Dion Jones, who was the first British chef to win the prestigious International Escoffier Challenge Grand Final in France in 2013.
The remaining chefs are all preparing for their first time in the final spotlight, as they seek to win Wales’ top culinary honour. The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges from the applications, with the chefs’ names concealed.
As part of the CAW’s commitment to promote quality Welsh food and drink, each finalist must include at least eight Welsh products of Geographical Importance (GI) in their creative three-course menu for four people.
The starter will feature sustainable Welsh fish or seafood, the main course will have two different cuts of GI Welsh Lamb and the dessert will feature seasonal fruit, chocolate and a biscuit or tuille.
Supported by a commis chef, the finalists each have three hours to prepare, cook and present their menu.
The winner will receive a fully funded delegate package for the Worldchefs Congress & Expo to be held at ICC Wales next May together with £250 worth of products from DPS Tableware and a set of engraved cook’s knives from Friedr Dick. Main sponsor this year is Castell Howell Foods.
Colin Gray, CAW vice president, is expecting a keenly contested final. “Originally, we were going to restrict the final to just four chefs but, due to the high standard of applications, we decided to hold the final over two heats on the day.
“It’s pleasing to report that we attracted the highest number of applications of recent years and there are several new faces in the final. It’s going to be a close competition, as it always is, because there are some really talented chefs from good establishments who know their way around the kitchen.
“We were particularly impressed by their interpretation of the brief relating to GI Welsh food products and it promises to be an exciting final.”
The National and Junior Chef of Wales sponsors are Cambrian Training Company, Castell Howell Foods Ltd, Capital Cuisine, Roller Grill, MCS Tek, Friedr Dick Knives, DPS Tableware and Hybu Cig Cymru.
