The National Chef of Wales final will contested by nine chefs, including three finalists from last year’s competition. The nine chefs include:  

• Robert Cave, head chefs at Rookery Hall Hotel in Crewe
• Matthew Smith, chef lecturer at Cheshire South & West College
• Wayne Barnard, senior chef de partie at Holm House Hotel in Penarth
• Dan Andree, head chef at Beach House Restaurant in Oxwich
• Jamie Tully, executive chef at Chartist 1770 at The Trewythen in Llanidloes
• Sophie Rowe, chef de partie at Gaerwen Arms in Gaerwen
• Matthew Owen, head chef at the Celtic Collection in Newport
• David Williams, head chef at Cwm Gwendraeth in Llanelli
• Dalton Weir, sous chef at The Cottage Loaf in Llandudno

Dalton is bidding to complete the double by winning the Junior and National Chef of Wales titles in successive years. The Junior Chef of Wales final will be contested by four chefs, including:

• Falon Bailie, junior sous chef at Foyles of Glasbury
• Katie Duffy, second chef at Llanelly House in Llanelli
• Oliver Herrington, demi chef de partie at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport
• Abigail Williams, a student at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw Campus

The finals of both competitions, organised by The Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), will be held at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) from February 21-23, 2023 at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s campus in Rhos-on-Sea.

At stake in the National Chef of the Wales final is £500 for the winner, £300 for the runner-up and £200 for third place. The winner will also receive a set of engraved knives from Friedr Dick and £250 worth of Churchill products.

In the final, chefs must cook their own creative menu for a three course dinner for 12 people within five hours, using a majority of Welsh ingredients.

Their starter must be suitable for vegans, the main course must use two different cuts of PGI Welsh Lamb and the dessert must feature seasonal fruits, an ice cream, chocolate and biscuit or tuille.

The Junior Chef of Wales winner will have a chance of a lifetime to attend the Worldchefs Congress 2024 in Singapore with CAW delegates.

The winner will also qualify for the semi-finals of the Young National Chef of the Year contest, organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs and receive support from the Junior Culinary Team Wales, a set of engraved knives from Friedr Dick and products worth £100 from Churchill.

The finalists will cook their own creative menu for a three-course dinner for four people within three hours, again using mostly Welsh ingredients. Their starter must be a seafood/fish appetiser, main course must use one prime cut and one secondary cut of PGI Welsh Beef and dessert must be seasonal, feature one hot element and include chocolate.

Arwyn Watkins, OBE, CAW president, said: “We are delighted with the high calibre of entries in both competitions and can’t wait to see these talented chefs in action in the finalists. The finals provide a fantastic platform to showcase their skills in Wales’ premier competitions for chefs.”