A student from Coleg y Cymoedd has been crowned the winner of a live cooking competition celebrating Italian PDO and PGI cured meats, organised by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) with support from ASSICA (Associazione Industriali delle Carni e dei Salumi – Association of Italian Meats and Cured Meats).
The contest took place on Tuesday 3rd March 2026, with trainee chefs challenged to create an original dish where Italian cured meat was the central ingredient. The winner was announced following live cooking and judging in front of invited trade guests and industry professionals.
Kayla Thomas impressed the judges with “Prosciutto e Melone” featuring Prosciutto di Parma and will now progress to the London grand finale – competing for the title of Best Young Chef for Italian Cured Meats.
Kayla’s winning dish combined compressed cantaloupe melon, fig syrup, prosciutto ice cream, aged balsamic, roast figs, fig oil, fig maltodextrin crumb, and aged balsamic caviar.
Giovanni Sacchi, Director of the Italian Trade Agency, said: “We are delighted to be back in Wales and to be working with Welsh students, the chefs of the future. These students will become the storytellers and ambassadors of these products in the future, bringing together their talent with the unique quality of Italian salumi.
We are especially pleased to focus on colleges like Coleg y Cymoed College through this fun competition, introducing more students to the traditions and versatility of Italian cured and deli meats.”
Gavin Davies, Assistant Principal at Coleg y Cymoedd, said: “On behalf of the college, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Rosie, Renaya, Kayla and Matt; four exceptionally talented trainee chefs. Their dishes were nothing short of spectacular, showcasing skill, creativity and professionalism of the highest order.
To deliver such outstanding work under the pressure of competition and in front of a large audience is a remarkable achievement. They shone on the day, and we couldn’t be prouder. Their future in the industry looks incredibly bright, and they have truly done themselves – and the college – proud.”
Giovanni Facchini, Communication & Promotion Specialist at ASSICA, said: “We are delighted to continue promoting this project in UK colleges together with ITA, following the success of last year’s edition. The United Kingdom is a very important market for Italian deli products, and we are extremely proud to be able to raise awareness and enthusiasm among the new generation of chefs.”
The judging panel included Arwyn Watkins OBE, President of the Welsh Culinary Association; Gavin Davies, Assistant Principal of Coleg y Cymoedd; Llio Angharad, Welsh food & drink influencer; and Giovanni Facchini, Communication & Promotion Specialist at ASSICA .
Now in its second year, the programme promotes Italian PDO and PGI cured meats, highlighting quality, versatility and their place in contemporary cuisine. After previous collaborations with colleges in Cardiff, Glasgow and Edinburgh, the initiative has expanded to include London-based colleges, with local contests feeding into a London grand finale.
