Author: France

October 2, 2017, WALES: Two champion Welsh chefs are preparing to represent their country against the best in Europe at the weekend as the search begins to find their successors.

National Chef of Wales winner Simon Crockford, 35, executive restaurant chef at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, will be competing in the European semi-final of the Global Chefs Challenge organised by World Chefs in Prague on October 7.

At the same event, Junior Chef of Wales champion Steffan Davies, 23, from Gidleigh Park near Newton Abbot, Devon, will be competing in the Global Young Chefs Challenge semi-final against the best young chefs in Europe.

Both chefs, who are members of Culinary Team Wales, need to win their competitions to qualify for the global finals next year. They are being mentored by Colin Gray, Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) vice president from Capital Cuisine, Caerphilly.

Simon, who lives in Newport but is originally from Tenby, has been promoted to executive restaurant chef since becoming Welsh champion and is looking forward to competing in Prague.

He has chosen a three-course menu with elements of the dishes that made him Welsh champion. The starter features seared scallops and seabass, main course majors on veal and foie gras and the dessert has chocolate, banana and passion fruit as its made ingredients.

Simon will be accompanied by Darryl Davies, a demi chef de partie at the Celtic Manor Resort who has worked with him on VIP events, including the Ryder Cup.

“It’s quite a different competition to what I have done previously because the commis chef can help in this one,” he said. “I have gone for taste above everything else with my dishes and I want to Wales and myself proud.

“It will be an unbelievable experience, but I don’t think it will be as nerve-wracking as my debut for the Welsh team at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg, which was an unforgettable experience.

“I have to prepare six plates of each dish within three hours, so it’s a real challenge. If I nail the dishes on the day, I am confident about the taste.”

Steffan, who is originally from Llandybie in West Wales, has excelled with the Junior Culinary Team Wales. He is aiming to become European champion to qualify for the world final in Lyon next year.

He has chosen a complex menu for the competition, which opens with yuzu cured seabass, poached oysters, scallop, fresh wasabi and yuzu sorbet. Main course is stuffed veal loin, poached foie gras and black pudding. Dessert is a deconstructed Jaffa cake comprising palenta cake, buckthorn gel, mandarin gel and sorbet and chocolate glass.

“We looked at what was coming into season and wanted to do something with a twist, which explains the deconstructed Jaffa cake idea,” said Steffan, whose commis chef will be Toby Hull from Gidleigh Park. “The taste is ridiculously amazing.

“Competing in Prague against the best young chefs in Europe should be a real eye opener and I can’t wait to see how each country interprets the menu brief.”

Looking ahead to his career development, he plans to work in selected countries around the world to learn about the different cultures before settling down to senior position in the UK.

His ultimate aim is to return to work in Wales where he says the improved standard of restaurants is now being recognised with awards

As Simon and Steffan prepare to compete in Prague, the CAW has launched the hunt for their successors as the next National and Junior Chef of Wales.

Chefs wishing to follow in their footsteps have until October 31 to enter both competitions, the finals of which will be held at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Rhos-on-Sea next February.

The entry forms may be downloaded at: http://www.welshculinaryassociation.com/index.php/competitions/

Picture caption:

Simon Crockford (right) and Steffan Davies

Editor’s notes:

Simon Crockford’s menu for the Global Chefs Challenge European semi-final:

Starter: Coriander and lime cured sea bass, seared scallop, sweetcorn, red pepper and shellfish foam with sea herbs.

Main course is: Veal wrapped in Carmarthen Ham with a black garlic mousse, braised sage and onion spelt, red cabbage puree, mushroom espuma and parmesan gnocchi. Dessert is: White chocolate and banana mousse, salted caramel ganache, pistachio and banana tuile, peanut butter parfait and chocolate soil.

For more information please contact Arwyn Watkins, Culinary Association of Wales president, on Tel: 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, publicity officer, on Tel: 01686 650818.

 OCTOBER 2016: A talented young chef whose family home is in Cardiff will be flying the flag for Wales in the National Chef of the Year final at the Restaurant Show in London next week.

Thomas Westerland, 26, head chef at the Michelin starred Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, Colerne, near Chippenham, is one of 10 chefs who have won their way through to a final cook off on Tuesday, October 3. The competition is organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs.

Runner-up in the National Chef of Wales contest for the past two years, Thomas steps up to the UK stage this time against the likes of Will Holland, executive chef of the Atlantic Hotel, Jersey who was previously at Coast Restaurant, Saundersfoot.

He will also be competing against fellow head chef at Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, Dean Westcar, this year’s Roux Scholarship winner Luke Selby, England Culinary Team captain Simon Webb and Young National Chef of the Year 2013 Ben Champkin.

“I decided to enter National Chef of the Year to test myself against top chefs in the industry,” said Thomas, a product of Cardiff and Vale College. “I really enjoyed coming up with dishes for the brief this year because it tested chefs’ ability to come up with simple but brilliant dishes using seasonal ingredients.

“To win the final would mean everything to me. It would prove that all the long hours and hard work put into my career over the past few years have paid off. It would mean so much to be listed with such inspirational previous winners, as an ambassador for the industry.”

In the final, the chefs must cook a starter using shellfish and pasta, a main course using venison and a British apple dessert. They are given two hours to cook four plates of each course.

After completing his college studies, Thomas worked at The Fig Tree, near Cardiff for three years, learning the importance of sourcing fresh, local and seasonal food and progressing from a commis chef to sous chef.

He then joined Welsh executive chef Hywel Jones at Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa and has worked his way up from a demi chef de partied with dedication and hard work. He has worked both in the two rosette Brasserie and the one Michelin star restaurant at Lucknam Park, where he says his basic skills have been refined.

Inspired by eating the inspirational food of other chefs, he says he owes a lot to Hywel Jones for his encouragement and tuition at every stage of his development. “I wouldn’t be the chef I am today without him,” he added.

Thomas hopes to compete for a place in the Culinary Team Wales in the future but for now he is putting his dream of representing his country on the back burner whilst he focuses on his recently acquired head chef role at Lucknam Park and the National Chef of the Year final.

He also plans to make a third attempt to win the National Chef of Wales title following the launch of the 2018 competition this week and has his sights on next year’s Roux Scholarship.

“I would love to come back to Wales to open my own restaurant in the future, but it all depends where my career takes me,” added Tom, whose family live in St Mellons, Cardiff.

Picture caption:

Thomas Westerland.

Ends

For more information please contact Arwyn Watkins, Culinary Association of Wales president, on Tel: 01938 555893 or Duncan Foulkes, publicity officer, on Tel: 01686 650818.

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