Craft Food Artisan - Winter 22

T he magazine from CAW for Craft Butchers, Bakers and Chefs

President’s Welcome

Welcome to Cra Food Artisan, the culmination of a long held ambition of the Culinary Association of Wales - to deliver a magazine for our membership and stakeholders. e content of the magazine will feature our members, their establishments, our sponsors, our news, your news, networking opportunities and competitions.

Cra Food Artisan is available in hard copy but also as a digital copy that can be easily shared, however, if you are like me, on occasions I prefer something physical to read and I believe that this is one of those publications. We plan to follow up Issue 1 with three publications per year. However, if we receive signi cant demand from our stakeholders, we would give serious consideration to four publications per year to follow the four seasons.

We will be looking for our stakeholders to contribute to the future editorial content under topics such as sponsor pro le, sponsor interview, topical features, restaurant reviews, chef, butcher and baker pro les, to name but a few.

Cover: omas Herbert, National Chef of Wales 2022

Most importantly, we are seeking members and business partners that can support the Culinary Association of Wales in enabling us to achieve our

objectives which include, giving teams and individuals the opportunity to represent their country on the world stage in their given cra .

Many of you already support us in delivering the Welsh International Culinary Championships by providing expertise, great produce and high quality equipment that enables our competitors to deliver outstanding results both personally and collectively. We hope that this magazine will encourage even more to do so in the future.

We recognise that there is never an ideal time to launch, however, we rmly believe that we have the foundation to provide you with a platform to communicate with professionals who have a keen interest in our cra , (whether that be Butchers, Bakers or Chefs) and ultimately, provide our membership with a fascinating magazine. We hope you enjoy reading it, as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Arwyn Watkins OBE president@culinaryassociation.wales

www.culinaryassociation.wales

CAW president praises Welsh award winners

Culinary Association of Wales president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, has congratulated the Michelin star restaurants in Wales and the Welsh winners of the AA Hospitality Awards 2022.

“We have very talented chefs working here in Wales and enterprising business owners who are investing in their establishments to ensure that their customers enjoy a top quality experience,” he said. “It’s important that we celebrate their achievements.”

Gareth Ward at Ynyshir Restaurant & Rooms, near Machynlleth achieved his second Michelin star. Other Welsh restaurants to receive a Michelin star are: Walnut Tree, Llanddewi Skirrid; e Whitebrook, Whitebrook, near Monmouth; Beach House, Oxwich; Sosban & e Old Butchers, Menai Bridge; SY23, Aberystwyth and Home, Penarth.

At the AA Hospitality Awards 2022, e Grove, Narberth was awarded 5 Red Stars, won the Wine Award for Wales and Fernery Restaurant at e Grove was upgraded to four rosettes.

ree rosettes: Coast Restaurant, Saundersfoot and e Jackdaw, Conwy. Two rosettes: e Checkers, Montgomery and e Oak Room at the Angel Hotel, Abergavenny.

AA awards for Wales: Restaurant with Rooms, Crug Glâs Country House, Solva; Hotel of the Year, Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol and Restaurant of the Year, Gem 42, Newport.

Chef Colin named Wales Food and Drink Champion of the Year

Prominent Welsh chef Colin Gray was named the rst Wales Food and Drink Champion of the Year at new awards.

Colin, managing director of Capital Cuisine, Caerphilly, received the special judges’ award, sponsored by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), at the inaugural Wales Food and Drink Awards held in Cardi .

e award recognises consistent sourcing, use and promotion of Welsh food and drink products over a period of time.

Capital Cuisine is an artisan food producer, manufacturing bespoke, restaurant quality products, whilst also catering for high pro le events with contemporary menus using locally sourced, ethical produce.

“Sourcing, using and promoting quality Welsh food and drink products is something that I have done naturally within my business since our rst event, Hay Festival, in 2003,” said Colin

Keep your eye out for the call for nominations for Wales Food and Drink Awards 2023 in the coming weeks.

Welsh chefs enjoy the experience of competing against the world’s best

Two Welsh chefs enjoyed the experience of competing against the world’s best at the Worldchefs Congress and Expo in Abu Dhabi.

Harry Paynter-Roberts, 24, sous chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, near Chester, nished sixth in the Global Young Chefs Challenge Final while Sam Gri ths, senior sous chef at the Chester Grosvenor, Chester, was 16th in the Global Chefs Challenge Final.

ey represented the Culinary Association of Wales whose culinary director, Graham Tinsley, MBE, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, said: “Whilst Harry has competed internationally with the Junior Culinary Team Wales in the past, it was Sam’s rst time on the global stage and it was an eye opener for him.

“It was a great opportunity for both of them to mix with chefs from around the world.”

Young Welsh chefs and Gareth Bale’s Wales team shared a World Cup dream

Gareth Bale and his Wales teammates were not the only Welsh team ful lling a dream by competing in a World Cup.

Whilst the Wales football team competed at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, chefs from Junior Culinary Team Wales were cooking up a storm at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg from November 26-30.

Junior Culinary Team Wales manager is Michael Evans, of Grwp Llandrillo Menai, Rhos-on-Sea and coach is Danny Burke, co-owner of Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn.

Minister praises butchers a er notable World Butchers’ Challenge debut

Lesley Gri ths, Minister for Rural A airs and North Wales, has praised Cra Butchery Team Wales members for their commitment and skills following their successful debut at the World Butchers’ Challenge in Sacramento, California.

Team member Ben Roberts, 30, from M. E. Evans Butchers, Overton-on-Dee, near Wrexham, nished third in the Champion Butcher Apprentice competition and the team nished sixth from 13 countries in the ‘Olympics of Meat’.

Ms Gri ths said: “A huge congratulation to Ben and the team who should be rightly proud of their achievements representing Wales at the World Butchers’ Challenge.

eir dedication to the cra is clear and the experience of competing on a global stage will be invaluable for them going forward.”

Arwyn Watkins

Chef Colin Gray receives award

Harry Paynter-Roberts and Sam Gri ths

e Junior Culinary Team Wales

e Cra Butchery Team

Ben Roberts

Supplier Profile

Castell Howell

At the heart of the Welsh hospitality

Castell Howell started life over thirty years ago selling predominantly frozen foods, as was the trend at the time, adding dry goods shortly afterwards. Since then, the Group has grown into a major distributor of food and drink in Wales, Borders and the West Country, offering support to hospitality, and is a major partner of the Culinary Association of Wales.

Edward Morgan, Group CSR Manager explained “fifteen years ago we added a finest range. Items which are commonplace now, yet we didn’t have them available to our customers. Artisan products such as cheeses, charcuterie, vinegars, balsamic dressings and a wider range of ingredients were introduced. It meant working with a different group of suppliers. So not only do we work with Unilever and Nestle and companies like Authentic, Sidoli and other larger ones in Wales, but we started to develop links with some of the more niche artisanal suppliers, many in Wales”.

Their catalogues now cover everything from vegan to gluten free to provenance, so customers can confidently state where their ingredients come from, much of it from Wales. They also have their ‘Celtic’ ranges of Welsh beef, fish, and preserves to name a few and can even supply molecular gastronomy products. As Edward explains “Our evolving range has lent itself well to supplying customers and the CAW’s culinary teams with all the types of products they need, especially at competition level”.

Castell Howell is keen to elaborate on its relationship with the Culinary Association, “Our involvement with Arwyn goes back years, either as a training provider through Cambrian Training, in his role as president of the Culinary Association and as a member for many years, or as a supplier.

We supply the teams and many of the culinary team members, including Capital Cuisine’s Colin Gray, who are also a key supplier of ours. And Mike Bates, CAW’s Events Lead, based upon the category. And we hope that they, and other members, would be advocates of ours, in the same way we are of them”.

Key to Castell Howell’s relationship with the hospitality sector are the twenty-five account managers and a team of specialist advisers on the road around Wales. “They’ve all got their own areas of expertise, of course, but they take control of generic tasks such as opening accounts, menu pricing advice, suggesting products, fulfilment and credit terms.

“But it’s far more then than just saying to a chef or an owner or a general manager, here are products, what do you want to buy? You’re actually getting embedded in those businesses and helping them decide what would work best for them. We help with menu development. We’ve got two meat specialists

sector

who can advise customers on something a little bit different, a development chef steward who can help demonstrate different dishes or different projects with customers and we’ve also got a Welsh product specialist. So, whether it’s choosing products, creating dishes, designing menus or helping set prices we can use our experience and resources to help if that’s what the client wants”.

Corporate Social Responsibility is important to Castell Howell in terms of working with local communities, promoting and improving the food sector as a great place to work and looking across the supply chain at nutritional and environmental impacts.

Edward explains “As part of this, we sponsor a secondary school competition called Tasty Careers, where students design a dish for a menu for £21, to develop presentation skills, work in teams and hopefully, encourage them to work in the food sector, be it catering or working with us as a career partner. It also includes our commitment to working with offenders at Swansea Prison to help give people a new start in life, a good win that’s still in its infancy”.

Another increasingly important aspect for CH is the environment and sustainability. “We’re working with a couple of key customers on trying to establish what a sustainably sourced menu looks like, using produce from farms that have had environmental impact statements, Root Zero potatoes, the Golden Hooves scheme and much more. That’s a bit of a job there because it’s not an accurate science and there’s so many different products and variables. We’re all trying to work this out and not over-promise but what we learn, we can pass on to all our customers. We’re also working with our supply chain and try to join up with them in terms of measuring their environmental impact and merging that with ours and have been measuring our impact and carbon footprint annually for a number of years, which appears in our accounts”.

“We’ve got so many suppliers and we try to check and order as best we can, but we also need to make sure that people are treated fairly across the supply chain”. This extends to how staff are treated says Edward, “Amongst our clients, there’s quite a few working with our HR team on looking at the Living Wage Foundation and its recommendations.”

Edward wanted to finish with a final comment on CAW from Castell Howell’s Sales Director, Kath Jones. “Castell Howell Foods have worked with the Culinary Team on numerous occasions, embracing their ethos and recognising their importance in helping to promote both Welsh produce and culinary skills. They are a collective who inspire future chefs and instil a ‘Sense of Place’, underlining Wales’s credentials as a food nation.”

Edward Morgan

Kath Jones

Proud sponsors of the Home Nations Culinary Teams and the Culinary Association of Wales

The climate crisis is real. Sea levels are rising at an alarming rate, coral reefs are dying, forests are burning, and oceans are becoming more acidic, so things have to change. And one of the biggest challenges hospitality businesses face right now is ensuring that their business is socially responsible regarding the natural ecosystems that help keep our planet healthy.

The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership states that tourism contributes about 5% towards global greenhouse gas emissions, and that figure is expected to grow by 130% by 2035, so the challenge to the hospitality trade isn’t an insignificant one. Sustainable hospitality is no longer an optional, trendy thing to do, it is now a priority, and how businesses tackle the preservation of the environment is what drives customer decision-making.

In 2019 the UK was the first major economy to commit to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 to help prevent global warming from going beyond 1.5°C, which would have catastrophic consequences for the planet and its inhabitants.

The hospitality industry has some of the highest outputs when it comes to carbon emissions.

The Zero Carbon Forum is a non-competitive industry collaboration designed to help share best practice ideas, insight and leadership on reducing carbon emissions. Their research has found that a typical restaurant emits over 376 tonnes of carbon per year, the equivalent of heating 117 households in the UK. Around 35% of all UK carbon emissions come from the production and consumption of food and drink. Bob Gordon, Director of the Zero Carbon Forum, said, “The sector and our governments must take greater responsibility...In hospitality, we are contending with interrupted food supply and increasing volatility in the market. Hospitality thrives when the operating environment is consistent and predictable. Without consistency, costs will continue to go through the roof, challenging the sectors’ existence.”

Hospitality businesses may have a lot to think about at the current time with the cost of energy and the

shortage of labour crisis, but it’s important that businesses commit to doing better when it comes to environmental practices. With more customers than ever before being aware of the harmful impact of the hospitality industry on the environment, can they really afford not to change?

According to the World Chefs Academy, there are eight key areas that hospitality businesses should consider: the big picture, seafood, energy management, water consumption, waste management, nutrition, agriculture and animal husbandry.

So, let’s start with the big picture. Because sustainability is such a huge concept, it can be overwhelming to think of ways to take positive action, especially for small businesses. But breaking it into individual elements takes the pressure off.

Setting out an action plan is a good place to start. All hospitality businesses, regardless of their size, should create a set of objectives and commit to being a company that is passionate about eco-conscious practices.

Pale Hall in Gwynedd is a great example of this. They have been awarded a Michelin Green Star Award for their commitment to sustainable practices. They have a number of different approaches at the property, from providing their guests with EV charging points to how they source their food and even right down to their staff uniforms made using recycled plastic.

Menu design is another area that can hugely impact sustainable practices within the hospitality industry. When it comes to items on the menu such as seafood, a more mindful approach needs to be taken. Overfishing and ocean pollution have been driving factors in the severe drop in numbers of fish in our sea. Businesses could consider wild or farmed seafood that is harvested without harming the environment and therefore helping to ensure a healthy ocean eco system. The same goes for animal husbandry and how we obtain meat and dairy. One idea is using local abattoirs which will reduce transportation, improve animal welfare and also support other local businesses.

Strengthening community ties is also hugely important

With more customers than ever before wanting planetfriendly ways to enjoy their leisure time, it’s vital that businesses react. Here we highlight just some of the ways that the hospitality sector is advancing the business and environmentally critical sustainability agenda.

Pale Hall

hospitality

in increasing sustainability efforts. Collaborating with the community and other local businesses allows a better understanding of what your customers want and can help persuade other local businesses to implement more sustainable practices.

Food waste is no longer considered acceptable by those working in kitchens and those consuming the dishes. You can start by localising your supply chain and updating the menu on a seasonal basis. The farmto-table movement keeps food and transport costs down as well as being a customer favourite due to food tasting fresher.

Edmund Inkin who runs The Felin Fach Griffin in Brecon told us “When Huw (Evans-Bevan) and Charlie (my brother) set up the Griffin, the ethos was very much what we now call sustainability. But as the years go by, we must keep thinking about how we intensify that thinking: hospitality can’t help but impact resource usage, it does it by definition by encouraging travel and consumption. So we have a responsibility to find ways to mitigate that damage and promote the right way of doing things. Our kitchen garden is a really good example: it can’t possibly provide everything we need for a busy kitchen, but it helps develop the right kind of thinking within our teams, provides employment to local people and pushes the value of low food miles to our guests.”

Reducing portion size can also make a huge difference. While supersized portions may have become the norm, serving smaller amounts of quality food will make immediate savings and reduce a lot of food waste per cover.

Whilst food waste in the hospitality industry is a hot topic, it goes much deeper. Businesses need to take a step beyond and think about eliminating items such as single-use plastics, which greatly contribute to environmental pollution.

With energy prices rising at a rapid rate some businesses will be left wondering if it’s time to turn out the lights for good. But evaluating current energy use and making small changes such as switching bulbs to energy-saving versions, ensuring appliances not in use are switched off at the end of the shift and not leaving lights or heating on when not in use can make a huge difference.

Taking your hospitality business green doesn’t have to be something you tackle alone. As mentioned earlier, organisations such as the Zero Carbon Forum have been designed to help steer the UK hospitality industry to a greener space. They can help determine your business’s carbon footprint and offer practical help

and support in implementing the strategies needed to reduce it.

The Welsh government has always championed sustainable practices in hospitality; they were the first to introduce a plastic bag tax and the Food and Drink Wales Sustainability Cluster, designed to support and develop sustainable business practices across the Welsh food industry. They are currently running various programs that will support any business wanting to start looking at the bigger picture and becoming more environmentally responsible.

The Welsh Government is also offering a B-Corp accreditation grant for businesses until March 2023. B-Corp is a private certification of for-profit companies of their social and environmental performance. This initiative will reimburse up to 100% of the fees for the first year.

For hospitality businesses that are eager to get started on their sustainable journey, the World Chefs have put together a free course, Sustainability Education for Culinary Professionals, which covers all the steps needed to think and act sustainably. The course is fully certified and your business employees could receive a Feed The Planet digital badge and certificate upon completion of the program which is great for their personal development

For more info head to: feedtheplanet.worldchefs.org/sustainability

Bringing in sustainability policies for your hospitality business isn’t just about big, grand gestures. It’s about a build-up of small steps that will help the way your business operates and do good in the wider world. It’s all about maximising the hospitality trade’s positives whilst reducing or eliminating the negatives. But for these sustainable initiatives to work, it needs to be an industry-wide effort to globally embrace changes and make where we live, work, and play a better place for all.

Edmund Inkin

World Chefs Feed The Planet Students

Supplier Interview

Game Changer

Disney’s Bambi has a lot to answer for, having helped keep venison, and game in general, off the menu for decades. But more people are now eating venison than ever before, and with good reason. That is the trenchant belief of Will Oakley, a former Shropshire game-keeper who has embarked on a personal crusade to reintroduce game to more British tables.

Will is founder of Shropshire-based Willo Game, who are based a mere stag’s leap over the Welsh border.

“A lot of our pheasant comes from Wales,” he reveals. “So much of the local rural economy is propped up by game.”

“The demand for venison has never been higher simply because it ticks all the boxes. It’s healthy, sustainable and free-range – plus it’s cheaper than beef, so what’s not to like?”

Many within the food industry enjoy cooking game, especially if it is sourced from a family farm so they know the exact provenance of the animal.

“The field-to-table ingredients are just beautiful,” enthused one west Wales chef. “High quality, sustainable and ethical.”

Against that, many people still find the idea of game quite daunting, as it remains a relatively uncommon dish on our tables.

“We have got to get our heads around the fact that venison is the most healthy meat,” is Will’s patient response. “Plus it is killed in the most humane manner it can be and is now more readily available than ever before.”

“Yes, in the past people have been a little afraid of preparing game. They have to overcome this irrational fear of ruining it. But these days you can reference countless game recipes online. As far as venison is concerned just treat it like you would beef; but instead of having it well done go for medium.

“And as for cooking pheasant you simply treat it like a small chicken.”

Having founded Willo Game in the early 1990s, Will sold the company 15 years ago, only to buy it back in 2018 as part of a consortium.

“It is a decision I have never regretted,” says the 60-year-old father-of-three. “When I started there was a massive market for processed game, but nobody really wanted it ‘in-feather’ as it was viewed as something of a nuisance. That gave me all the incentive I needed and Willo Game has steadily grown as a business over the intervening years.”

Today the Norbury-based company also offers a wide selection of partridge, grouse, pigeon, rabbit and mallard (Will’s personal favourite). “There’s nothing quite like a good-quality bird,” he says. “You just cannot beat it.”

In the past, of course, connoisseurs of game had to beware of hidden hazards. Those relishing their game birds ran the risk of crunching into lead pellet whilst tucking into their favourite dish.

“The only problem is that they can contain shot,” says Will. “It wouldn’t matter whether it was lead or steel – no-one likes finding shot in their game. So, to counter-act this we’ve brought in the most up-to-date metal-detecting equipment in order to ensure our products are shot-free.”

A game-changer in every sense!

But there’s more...

“Several supermarkets are reporting that venison pies are replacing steak and kidney pies now,” Will gleefully recounts. “And the return of wild boar – we sell meat from the Forest of Dean – is another welcome development.”

Yet one suspects Will Oakley will not be truly satisfied until game is fully re-established as a traditional festive dish.

“When I was a kid, very little game was eaten at Christmas,” he said. “Now it’s more all-year round.

“People in this country could – and should – view game as an acceptable alternative.

“As all fresh game has to be sold by February 14, frozen game is becoming the new fresh.”

So remember: game, it appears, is for life – not just for Christmas…

www.willogame.co.uk

Pan

Roasted

Venison, Braised Red cabbage, Celeriac Puree and Chocolate Jus.

By Chris Price, Hospitality Training O cer, Cambrian Training.

As the weather changes and the nights grow longer, dinner party season is now upon us. So why not impress your family and friends at your next get together with this luxurious recipe of Venison with a silky chocolate jus?

Ingredients

Pan Roasted Venison

• 700g of loin of venison

• 3tbs Vegetable oil

• Salt

• Pepper

Celeriac Puree

• 1 celeriac, peeled and roughly diced

• 250ml of double cream

• 250ml of milk

Braised red cabbage

• 1 pinch of cloves

• 2 star anise

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 450g of red cabbage, thinly sliced

• 100ml orange juice and peel

• 135g of redcurrant jelly

• pepper

• salt

Chocolate Jus

• Good quality jus or gravy

• 40g 70% chocolate

Method

Venison

1. Season the venison on both sides with sea salt. In a heavy-based pan, melt the oil and bring to a medium heat.

2. Brown the venison for 2 minutes on each side to seal leaving a nice brown colour to the meat. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5–7 minutes.

3. Remove from the pan and leave to rest in foil for 8–10 minutes

Celeriac Puree

1. To make the celeriac purée, combine the milk and double cream in a saucepan and add the celeriac. Also season at this stage also. Cover with parchment paper.

2. Bring to the boil and simmer until the celeriac is soft. Allow to cool, then transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Taste and amend seasoning if needed.

Braised Red Cabbage

1. To make the red cabbage, tie the spices in a piece of muslin. Combine all the ingredients in a pan with the muslin-tied spices, cover and cook slowly for about 1 hour until tender. Check every so often to make sure that the pan is not too hot and burnt on the bottom. If you feel like you may need some water added then that’s fine. As the saying goes…You can always add but not take away.

www.culinaryassociation.wales

2. Take the lid off and simmer until a thin syrup forms. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm with the spices

Chocolate Jus

1. Warm through your sauce on the stove, once hot add in some of the chocolate and stir until completely melted. Taste and add more if needed to make sure your happy with the consistency and flavour.

To serve:

1. To plate, spoon some of the red cabbage to one side of the plate, using a spoon drag and pull the puree to the opposite side. Slice the venison and serve on top of the cabbage then drizzle the sauce around. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley or chives to garnish if needed.

The techniques and skills used in this recipe are taught to apprentices who are working towards an Apprenticeship Level 3 in Professional Cookery. It covers preparing game meat, as well as cooking & finishing of complex vegetable dishes & hot sauces. For more information about how we can help support your business or help you become an apprentice, please contact Cambrian Training Company on: 01938555893 or email: info@cambriantraining.com

Chef profile

A culinary chat with Kurt

Kurt Fleming is the treasurer of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) and is responsible for managing the budget, making sure funds are spent in the right direction and helping raise sponsorship to fund their activities and competitions.

We kicked off our conversation with Kurt explaining how, as Head Chef at The Angel Hotel, he’s currently helping to provide support and sustenance for Ukrainian refugees. A fact that ties in nicely with CAW “We’re active supporters of World Cooks Tour for Hunger. I know that Gareth John, our Cultural Ambassador has been to India, South Africa and places like that to help with local initiatives.”

Kurt has been involved with the CAW for over 20 years and is clearly proud of the Association’s achievements. But cooking has always been his first love. “I started cooking when I was about 13 and got the bug sitting at the kitchen table with my mum, with a little stool and rolling pin”. At 16 he went straight to catering college and eventually arrived in Cardiff in 1991, subsequently working in some of south Wales’ most renowned eateries including the Miskin Manor, Llansantffraed Court and The Bell at Skenfrith. “The culinary scene in Wales was just amazing in those years. So it was just a really fun and exciting time to be in Wales”.

He was also Head Chef at Ffresh, the ground-breaking restaurant in the WMC, that championed Welsh products and dishes. “We sourced over 90% of our products in Wales and all our meat and fish was from Wales, our vegetable suppliers from Pembrokeshire and I developed a great relationship with Castell Howell”. After a couple more projects he arrived at The Angel, Cardiff’s oldest hotel, seven years ago.

And parallel to this Kurt was drawn into what became the CAW. “I met a chef called Colin Gray, who ended up being my best man. He was trying to drum up support for the South Wales Chef’s Guild as it was called then, so we organized some social events where I met Graham Tinsley and another culinary director, Peter Jackson, who was the team manager at the time, and the rest of the Welsh team which resulted in a competition tour to Scotland”.

Kurt’s keen to stress that the CAW has a social side “We’d organize trips to bowling or the races and then we’d go to each other’s restaurants and take it in turns to show what we could do. We’d also learn about Welsh food by visiting suppliers”. And they often

shared advice and knowledge. “When you get lots of chefs together, there’s always good banter and sharing knowledge. What are you doing at the moment? How are you, how are you coping with the seasonal changes, etc.? It’s not just about competing, it’s about the camaraderie”.

Kurt’s biggest motivation was always the competitions though. “I went to exciting places - Luxembourg, Erfurt in Germany, Chicago, Japan. You to get to see different nations, what they’re doing, how they’re using ingredients, how they express themselves on the plate. And you can take dishes back to your own kitchen and try and replicate them. Then you’re sharing ideas on a global stage”.

“Competing has definitely broadened my horizon, my ideals and thoughts on food.”. And it’s an experience he’s desperate to pass on. “I absolutely love it when there’s a young chef coming through - one of my sous chefs, Ryan, went away with the team and I gave him all the support that I possibly good. He entered Young World Chef and won – what a feeling. Just like winning it yourself.”

The CAW doesn’t just help chefs looking to develop, it’s helping the Welsh culinary scene more generally. In addition to chefs’ technical abilities it also showcases Welsh ingredients. “In the competitions that we put on in Wales, there are certain ingredients that you must use and showcase because we’re in Wales - God’s country. Lamb. Use that beef, use the seafood.”

For Kurt and his fellow CAW chefs, this passion for Welsh produce is clearly a major motivator on the international stage too. “Increasing the profile of Wales abroad is one of our remits. We want to showcase Welsh products in the best light and the international events are our window to the world”. An admirable ambition to end on. But Kurt has one more revelation. The highpoint of his time in the CAW? Cooking for the PM? Or the Queen? Great but not numero uno. “Being a part of the team that won Wales’ first ever Gold Medal in the Culinary Olympics. There were tears of joy in the kitchen when the result came through – it was just amazing.”

WICC Welsh International Culinary Championships

Pitting our future chefs against the best

Danny Burke was in demand growing up as a footballmad youngster on the streets of Manchester’s Moss Side – as much for his culinary ability as his prowess on the pitch.

And far from tasting derision from his peers, the future leading Welsh chef who relished watching his nan cook a Sunday lunchtime roast as much as a Saturday morning kickabout, drew his first appreciative customers.

“The other kids knew that when I went back home with a football under my arm I’d come out with a plate of fairy cakes,” Danny, now a 45-year-old dad-of-two living on Deeside, laughingly recalls.

“So, yes, I was ‘Mr Popular’ – I became known as the kid with the football AND the cakes!”

Danny – whose business Olive Tree Catering is regarded as one of the best across Cheshire – continues to remain ‘match-fit’ to combat the stresses and strains of his profession.

“I took up boxing training at Buckley ABC two years ago,” he revealed. “My fitness has gone through the roof.

“There’s nothing quite like whacking a heavy bag for an hour after a punishing and occasionally frustrating shift in the kitchen!”

Danny will be one of the judges at the WICC Welsh International Culinary Championships at Llandrillo College, Colwyn Bay, from February 22-24, 2023.

The event, which is broadcast live and open to the public, includes waiter competitions, the Welsh Chef of the Year and Junior Chef of Wales competitions, plus Marston’s Welsh Chef of the Year for the first time. Winners can go on to further glory in national and international competitions such as the Young National Chef of the Year.

As a one-time Junior and Senior Chef of Wales champion Danny views the events as ‘a potentially life-changing experience’ for those taking part before banks of eager spectators.

“Competitions of this calibre tend to take you out of your comfort zone,” he told taste.blas. “You need to have your finger on the pulse.

“Competing in that type of environment makes you look at food trends so you’re not so blinkered when it comes to competing against chefs who may work in more established restaurants.”

Danny, who has competed for Wales for the past twenty years, also cites organisation as an essential ingredient for success.

“I’d recommend a month of planning and practising,” he said. “Don’t turn up on the day hoping for the best –there has to be a certain level of discipline.”

Colin Gray, chairman of judges and the former president of the Culinary Association of Wales, describes the event as an ‘invaluable’ training ground for the next generation of Welsh chefs.

“And not just Welsh chefs,” he points out. “We get a fair number from across the border who, like everyone else, find these events an intense learning and bonding experience.

“Apart from upskilling, they provide a showcase for future chefs – a large proportion of whom are college students.

“The aim is not only to raise awareness of the Welsh food industry – it is also to enhance skills as competitors have to perform in a high-pressured setting.”

Entrants will be judged on a number of hot and cold dishes by a panel of recognised food industry experts. “Most dishes are tasted and scored accordingly,” said Colin, a former army chef who has represented Wales across the world for the last thirty years and now runs Capital Cuisine, a Cardiff-based catering and food manufacturing company.

“Chefs will be graded on presentation, innovation, skills and how they handle kitchen equipment.

“We’ve seen the Welsh food industry go from strength to strength in recent years.

“Years ago I’d probably have only recommended a small number of decent restaurants in Cardiff.

“Times have changed – we’re absolutely spoilt for choice now!”

Entry forms are available at culinaryassociation.wales or from office@culinaryassociation.wales or via post to Ceri Nicholls, WICC/Cambrian Training, Tŷ Cambrian, Unit 10 Offas Dyke Business Park, Fisher Road, Buttington, Welshpool, SY21 8JF. All should be returned by Monday, January 31, 2023.

Members of the public can buy tickets to dine at the National Chef of Wales Final at culinaryassociation.wales

Danny Burke

Colin Gray

Restaurant Reviews

Signatures Restaurant, Aberconwy

Signatures Restaurant is beautifully situated in a 5 star holiday resort, yards from the north Wales coast, an unusual spot to find an award-winning fine dining restaurant.

Owned by executive chef Jimmy Williams and his wife, Louise, Signatures has built up an excellent reputation since they took over in 2009 and boasts a listing in the Michelin Guide.

While chewing on some herby bread we studied the extensive menu and both of us homed in on the sesame coated sea bass as a starter.

It was served on a bed of coriander pappardelle in a ginger and chilli sauce and decorated with juicy mussels. Everything sounded like it would come together beautifully, and so it did. The smell from the plate alone made me smack my lips in anticipation.

With perfect crispy skin the fish was still firm enough to the fork and the pasta light and appetising. In a nutshell totally moreish. There were similar compliments from the other side of the table.

From the mains section I chose the lamb trio of roasted cannon, a sticky rib and a piece of shoulder. From our table I was able to watch the busy chefs prepare the dish carefully assembling its various components before calling service.

The slices of cannon, served just the right side of pink, needed just a slight nudge with a knife to cut. The shoulder, encased in a crispy coating, had the consistency of pulled pork and was perfectly seasoned and cooked just right.

It was served with anna potato - thinly sliced, rectangular pieces cooked in melted butter and layered. It was mouth wateringly delicious. The creamed cabbage and a quenelle of ponch maip completed the dish. The latter is Jimmy’s take on a traditional dish of mashed swede or turnip, mixed together with butter. My mother would have called it stwnsh rwdan.

The other side of the table chose the Duo of Game, tender slices of duck breast served pink with a generous piece of venison encased in a tasty Wellington pastry. The venison was described as having a strong taste but did not overpower the duck which was also served pink and made for an excellent variation on a classic dish.

The dish was accompanied by sticky red cabbage, crispy kale and a red wine sauce. We also ordered a side dish of vegetables and tucked into a bowl of glazed parsnips, chunky carrots and runner beans. All were cooked perfectly cooked and the right accompaniment for the meat.

The staff were helpful, smiling and very pleasant and were happy to allow a satisfying gap between courses.

The Little Italy dessert on the menu was always going to appeal consisting of Ferrero Rocher semifreddo, a vanilla pannacotta and a mini tiramisu with an almond biscotti. The crunchy biscotti was used to scoop up the perfectly wobbly pannacotta along with spoonfuls of the coffee-flavoured dessert. Along with the light and fluffy semifreddo it was quickly devoured.

I ordered the Study of Peach, one of several chef’s Signature Dishes. Pieces of warm roasted peach were dipped alternatively in a trifle, pannacotta and ice cream all including elements of the juicy fruit. It had spot-on consistency and abundant flavour.

There can be no argument that Signatures is a hidden gem.

Signatures Restaurant, Aberconwy Park, Conwy, LL32 8GA. Tel: 01492 583513; W: darwinescapes.co.uk/aberconwy-resort-spa/ facilities/signatures-restaurant

Gem 42, Newport, Gwent

In a modest building, in o -overlooked Newport, is a restaurant that staggers and marvels its guests. Gem 42. Not even the recent award of AA Welsh Restaurant of the Year had prepared us for the onslaught of culinary creativity, imagination and skill that patron, Sergio and his family team were about to unleash on us.

First o , they get the basics right. Service and sta knowledge are impeccable. Ingredients are all ‘top drawer’, being home-grown or local and seasonal if possible. en Sergio works his magic, and delights before explaining personally to diners what it is they are experiencing.

First came hand-pulled ne Grissini, one liquorice, the other pepper and onion, served with roe and plankton and then two joyous lattice Snowdonia Cheddar lollipops, a hint to the playful artistry to come. All were divine.

en they toyed with us, as a cat does a mouse, with a fun, thought-provoking and delicious selection of amuse bouche. ree di erent carefully chosen varieties of tomatoes, cooked three di erent ways, blended and reconstituted in a beguiling Bloody Mary cocktail jelly. An equally intense cauli ower amuse – cooked for 1000 minutes to trigger an enzyme process radically altering the taste. An essence of pea that transforms humble garden peas into something magni cent. e signature menu’s pu ed pane carasau with two golden eggs, one of snail’s eggs, the other an umami bottarga (cured mullet roe) was a stand-out. e lamb’s brain, laver-bread and chocolate mousse presented on a ceramic skull was mind-boggling and the octopus, sea urchin and black garlic emulsi cation on double textured potato crisp was meticulous. All accompanied by a 1961 Lombardia wine, the rst of many wines expertly matched to each course.

is continues with the ‘three course’ mains. e signature’s comprised sweet, succulent lobster, roasted on charcoal, laid on Petits pois à la Française, served with bisque and a sambuca infused carrot puree. Next up was Scallop and Egg 55/55/55 – an egg yolk weighing 55g with 55 calories, nestled inside a scallop, ultrasonically cooked at 55° and served with Monmouthshire tru e shavings, Oscietra caviar and a wasabi vinaigrette. A tour de force where sweet, sour, savoury, salty and umami wash across your palate in a single dish. By way of contrast, the perfect loin of Welsh lamb was simply cooked over lump wood, with Neapolitan So ritto of lamb’s heart and kidney and salt baked beetroot and Jerusalem artichoke from their own greenhouse.

e vegetarian mains were just as impressive. Inspired by Venetian blown glass, the blown honey and white balsamic vinegar sphere lled with foamed Abergavenny goats’ cheese with beetroot had a wonderful sweet tang not unlike old fashioned marmalade. e Pasta alla Norma’s interplay between

creamy salt-baked aubergine, sa ron avoured pasta, Pantelleria capers and San Marzano tomato was perfection. And the spectacle of herb broth distilled tableside poured over home-made porcini ravioli will live with us for many a year.

To nish was an oxidised unripe lemon – cooked for 8 hours, lled with bu alo curd and Brontes pistachios served with lemon granita shell transforming it into an ‘other-worldly’ avour experience. A cheeky caramel crunch toothbrush and a delicious tube of chocolate orange toothpaste followed and then a refreshing shell-encased cactus leaf gelato. Finally, a playful sign o - some delightful shiny gems hiding chocolate and piquant pear. What a remarkable and mind-blowing experience.

Gem 42, 42 Bridge St, Newport NP20 4NY. Tel: 01633 287591 www.gem42.co.uk

Restaurant Reviews

Fast fire Q & A

Graham Tinsley MBE, Culinary Director of CAW Executive Head Chef at Carden Park Hotel

What is your role in the CAW?

As Culinary Director, I look after the Teams, giving them advice and guidance in their competitions. My background with CAW has been Welsh National Team Captain and Welsh National Team Manager so I have a vast experience in competitions all over the World. For instance, I have competed with the Welsh Team at 5 Culinary Olympics, 5 Culinary World Cups, 2 World Championships and 2 American Culinary Classics.

What Competitions are you involved in? And what are the rewards?

Our Junior Team fly out this week to the Culinary World Cup which will be held in Luxembourg. We are also planning to compete in the Global Chef heats in Rimini, Italy early next year with Junior and Senior members of the Culinary Association of Wales. The best thing about being a member of CAW is the comradeship and the social activities meeting other likeminded chefs from all over the world. The CAW have made great bonds with other chef associations everywhere.

Was there a defining moment early on in your career that cemented your ambition to be a chef?

Securing a position in the kitchens of the Midland Hotel in Manchester after leaving school. The Midland was one of the top hotels in the country in the 70’s with a Michelin Star in their French Restaurant.

Would you say it’s important for ambitious and talented chefs to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve?

Of course, you need a goal in life, but it has to be realistic. Don’t aim for the sun when you can only reach the moon.

What, over your career, would you say are the most important lessons you’ve learnt?

Create a good team around you. They don’t have to be the best cooks in the world, but they need to be a team and all gel together.

You were awarded Disciple of Escoffier by the Council Culinaire – what does it mean to you personally?

Escoffier was one of the first chefs to start documenting recipes and formalize the structure of the kitchen and he’s regarded as the father of classical cuisine so it means a great deal to me and at the award evening I dedicated it to my old head chef Gilbert Lefevre.

What other great chefs have influenced you? Has to be the first head chefs I worked for, Gilbert Lefevre and Anton Mosimann. Gilbert came to the UK in the 1950’s and in his kitchen, I learnt how to cook Classical French Cuisine, the foundation for all cookery today. Whilst working in Switzerland, I heard of a new chef on the scene in London – Anton Mosimann. I knew that I had to work for him. Anton was completely different, his Modern approach to cooking and presenting food was nothing I had ever seen before. Anton was also a real gentleman in the kitchen and befriended all his young cooks, you just wanted to do your best for him.

Of all the people you’ve worked with and for, who would you say has been the most inspirational and why?

Without doubt, any one of my young chefs who has been practicing for a competition with their commitment to perfecting the perfect dish to ‘wow’ the judges.

How do you go about inspiring those around you? Like everything in life, you have to lead by example. Never get complacent, always keep learning and trying out new ideas.

What do you consider to be your proudest moments? Has to be receiving my MBE from her Majesty the Queen in 2006. The Queen was well briefed by the Lord Chamberlain, and she said to me, “you’ve cooked for me before”, I replied “yes, your majesty on several occasions”. It was a day of mixed emotions - excitement and nerves all rolled into one.

What do you enjoy most – creating a menu, cooking, passing on your knowledge to young chefs or winning competitions?

In the early part of my career I enjoyed winning the medals myself, later on in my career I got a much greater sense of achievement when my young chefs won. No matter how many times you win, the sense of triumph for your young student overwhelms you.

What would you like your legacy to be?

That I was a good cook, mentor and a fair and inspirational boss.

What’s your favourite meal at home?

Vietnamese Pho, which is a one pot meal containing meat, fish, vegetables and noodles in an aromatic stock, great for sharing.