Politicians and Welsh celebrities and sports stars were treated to the taste of Wales by a team of top chefs at an early St David’s Day reception held at 10 Downing Street, London on Monday evening.
Members of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) who all work for The Celtic Collection across South Wales, served up a selection of delicacies, inspired by top quality food and drink products from Wales.
Among the120 invited VIP guests from politics, business, culture and entertainment were Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Wales football squad, classical music star Kathrine Jenkins, OBE, who is CAW ambassador, former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Alun Wynn Jones, Welsh politicians, including Lord Kinnock, John’s Boys male voice choir and stars from The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing.
The CAW team of chefs was again headed by Michael Bates, executive chef at The Celtic Collection. The other chefs were Justin Llewellyn, Adam Whittle, Sy Crockford and Paul Ngigi and food service manager James Hayward.
The chefs took the opportunity to promote the Worldchefs Congress & Expo which is being held at ICC Wales, Newport from May 16-19 – the first time this huge culinary event has been held in the UK. More than 800 chefs from around the world will be attending the only global event being held in Wales this year.
The Welsh chefs served up savoury canapes including micro herb garden crisp; seeded cracker, whipped goats’ cheese, micro basil, coriander, amaranth and pea shoots; wild mushroom tart; mini tart, warm mushroom duxelles, nasturtium leaf, herb oil and micro fennel; mini herb arancini with flowering sprig; warm mini arancini infused with winter herbs and lemon, flowering thyme and rosemary tip; cured salmon and Cygnet Gin; compressed cucumber and lemon jel, mini whipped Pembroke potato and shepherd’s pie; Welsh rarebit served on onion bread, Welsh beetroot chutney and compressed watermelon, crumbed Welsh goats’ cheese, avocado and lime gel.
The dessert canapes were Welsh cake, strawberry jel and Welsh clotted cream and cinnamon, apple, and Bara Brith crumb.
Drinks included Bacchus white and Rondo red from Llanerch Vineyard, Reverend James Beer and Wrexham Lager, Radnor Hills sparkling water, orange juice and elderflower cordial.
Mr Bates, who devised the menu, said: “It was another amazing experience for all the whole team who were very proud to showcase produce from Wales and represent the Culinary Association of Wales at such a prestigious event.
“The guests enjoyed celebrating St David’s Day with our Welsh canapes and drinks which went down very well and it was great to receive such positive feedback.”
Castell Howell, E. Ashton Fishmonger, Cardiff and Dole Foodservice supplied the food ingredients for the canapes. Welsh companies exhibiting at the reception included Snowdonia Cheese, Porthcawl Distillery, Cardiff Bakestones, hand weaver Llio James from Cardiff, Joe’s Ice Cream, Cardiff, Wales Perfumery, Monmouth.
