A 20-year-old Mid Wales chef, who this week aims to outcook rivals from across Europe, has been described as a role model for Welsh apprentices.
Gabi Wilson, from Rhayader, is representing Team UK in the cooking competition at EuroSkills Herning in Denmark this week until Friday in the latest chapter of a remarkable culinary learning journey.
She is one of seven Welsh competitors out of a team of 19 representing Team UK in 17 different skills at the European competition, which has attracted 600 competitors.
The talented young chef, who works at Chapters, a Green Michelin star restaurant in Hay-on-Wye, was selected for Team UK following her success in national skills competitions.
A former Cambrian Training Company apprentice, who graduated with an Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery earlier this summer, Gabi looks destined for the very top of her profession.
Lisa Mytton, strategic director of the National Training Federation for Wales, of which Cambrian Training Company is a member, says apprenticeship providers in Wales will be right behind Gabi.
“From graduating with an Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery to being selected to represent Team UK at EuroSkills Herning 2025, Gabi’s journey is a testament to talent, tenacity and the power of learning in the workplace,” she added. “She’s a role model for other Welsh apprentices.
“We wish her every success and hope her culinary skills shine for the rest of Europe to see. Hopefully, Gabi will inspire more Welsh apprentices, employers and training providers to recognise the value and benefits of national, European and world skills competitions.”
Keen to keep learning her craft, Gabi has completed a City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Patisserie and Confectionery at NPTC Group of Colleges in Newtown, which has played a key role in her culinary journey. It was the college that first introduced her to WorldSkills UK competitions.
“I love being in a competition atmosphere,” she said. “It really motivates me and I’m excited to see where I stand among my European peers. Being selected to compete at EuroSkills is an amazing opportunity and one that might only come around once.”
Following her trip to Herning, she wants to secure a place in Team UK for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
Gabi already has a national title on her CV – she was the first winner of the Green Chef Challenge at the Welsh International Culinary Championships in 2024 whilst working with and learning from vastly experienced chefs at Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen, Llanidloes.
When that restaurant closed, she secured a job at Chapters where she is being mentored by head chef Mark McHugo, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Charmaine.
They have ensured that Gabi has been able to attend training and bootcamps in preparation for EuroSkills. One-to-one training support from professional chefs including Andrew Addis-Fuller, a hospitality training officer with Cambrian Training Company, has also helped to hone her culinary skills.
She credits her “amazing” apprenticeships with helping to build her confidence and skills. “It’s a great way to develop your skills in a live environment,” she said.
“My advice to anyone wishing to become a chef is to opt for an apprenticeship at a place where there are skilled professionals because you will always learn from the best. It’s a recipe for success.
“I want to learn a wide range of skills before possibly specialising in patisserie. In the future, I would also like to travel and do stages at different restaurants to learn from other chefs.”
Paul Evans, Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project director, said it’s a “brilliant” achievement for Gabi and the six other Welsh members to be selected for Team UK for EuroSkills, the skills Olympics for Europe.
“Team UK is using EuroSkills as a development platform for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026,” he stressed. “This is part of the development programme for Gabi and the other team members and it will test their mental toughness and resilience under competition pressure over three days.
“She will have set challenges and it’s high pressure in the cooking competition because she has to deliver service on time.
“The age restriction for EuroSkills is 25, whereas it’s 22 for WorldSkills, which means that the competitors Gabi will be facing will probably have represented their countries on the world stage before.
“Hopefully, she is on the road to Shanghai but she is not guaranteed to go, as she will face competition from other chefs for a place in Team UK. By competing at EuroSkills, I hope she inspires more young people in Wales to consider cooking as a career pathway.
“This is the Skills Olympics for Europe and an opportunity for the Welsh members of Team UK to benchmark the quality of education within our country.”
