Talented junior chefs from the Culinary Association of Wales have completed their first ever IKA Culinary Olympics in Germany by adding a bronze medal to the silver they won at the weekend.
Encouraged by their success in the Restaurant of Nations on Saturday, the Junior Culinary Team Wales, which has an average age of 19, were looking for another medal in the chefs table edible buffet on Monday.
The team secured a creditable bronze medal, winning warm praise from Arwyn Watkins, Culinary Association of Wales president. “It was an outstanding performance by a very young junior team who are competing at their first Culinary Olympics,” he said.
“Wales is the only junior team at the Culinary Olympics with an exact gender balance. This is the future generation and we look forward to their development for the Culinary World Cup in 2022 in Luxembourg.”
The junior team is managed by Michael Kirkham-Evans, a lecturer at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Rhos-on-Sea and coached by former Senior Culinary Team Wales captain Danny Burke, from Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn.
The junior team is captained by Calum Smith, The Lion and Pheasant, Shrewsbury and includes pastry chef Alys Evans, Pobi Bach Bakery, Gilfach Goch, Morgan Read, Brook House Mill, Denbigh, Lara Walker, Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Alice Yeomans, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxford and James Jarvis, Sebastians Restaurant, Oswestry.
Yeomans and Jarvis were only promoted to the team last month and Cai Watkins, son of the CAW president, showed that he’s a chip off the old block by stepping in to support the junior team.
The Senior Culinary Team Wales completes its campaign today, presenting its three-course Restaurant of Nations menu for 110 diners. The result will be announced tomorrow.
The senior team is led by Nick Davies, culinary craft trainer with Cambrian Training, Welshpool, who is combining the roles of manager and member. Captain for the first time isSergio Cinotti from the award-winning Gemelli and Gem42 Restaurants, Newport.
Team members are: Dylan Wyn Owens, Manchester City Football Club’s head chef at the Etihad Stadium, pastry chef Will Richards from Cambrian Training, Matthew Smith, from Star Chef Catering in Newtown, Mark Robertson from Coleg Cambria, Wrexham, Jay Humphris from Coleg y Cymoedd and Zak Pegg from The Harbourmaster Hotel, Aberaeron. Logistics manager is Peter Fuchs, culinary director of The Celtic Collection and ICC Wales, Newport.
