The two competitions will be held at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport, from January 22-24th 2024.

Ryan Jones, head chef at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, is seeking to become National Chef of Wales for the second time in his career having previously won the title in 2014.

One of the nine other chefs he will be competing against is Stephanie Belcher, demi chef de partie at The Berkeley, who is bidding to complete a double of Junior and National Chef of Wales titles in consecutive years. The other finalists include:

• Jamie Tully, executive chef Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen, Llanidloes
• Wayne Barnard, junior sous chef at Benito Luis, Caerleon
• Matthew Owen, head chef at The Celtic Manor, Newport
• Angharad Rockall, head chef at Heronston Hotel and Spa, Bridgend
• Joshua Morris, senior sous chef Palé Hall Hotel, Llandderfel, Bala
• Rebekah Wright, sous chefs at The Celtic Manor/The Celtic Collection, Newport
• Harry Paynter-Roberts, sous chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, Chester
• William Richards, training officer with Cambrian Training from Pontyclun

The chefs will be given four hours to cook a creative, three course dinner for 12 people, with a vegan starter followed by a main course using two different cuts of GI Welsh Lamb and a dessert featuring Denbigh plums, ice cream, chocolate and biscuit or tuille. A minimum of six Welsh GI products must be used in the menu.

The winner will have an opportunity to attend the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2026, which is being hosted at ICC Wales by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW). The winner will also win a set of engraved Friedr Dick competition knives and £250 of Churchill products.

Last year’s Junior Chef of Wales runner up, Abbie Williams, a learner at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw Campus, will be hoping to go one better in January when she will face another of the 2023 finalists, Katie Duffy, chef at The Halfway, Llanelli. The other finalists include:

• Ged Jones, chef de partie at Carden Park Hotel, Chester
• Dylan Evans, commis chef at L'enclume, Cartmel
• Nathan Kelly, sous chef at Spirit Restaurant, Warrington
• Rhys Yorath, chef de partie at Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol
• Aizel Reyes, commis chef at The Celtic Collection, Newport
• Rosie Koffer, chef de partie at Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen, Llanidloes
• Kye Roberts, chef de partie at Dm Catering, Milford Haven
• Sam Everton, junior sous chef at Y Seler, Aberaeron

The junior chefs will be given three hours to cook a creative, two course dinner for six people, with a starter suitable for a vegetarian diet and a main course using two different cuts of GI Welsh Beef.  A minimum of four Welsh GI products must be used in the dishes. 

The winner will get an automatic seeding in the semi-final of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ 2024 UK Young National Chef of the Year competition, will have an opportunity to attend the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2026 and win a set of engraved Friedr Dick competition knives and £100 of Churchill products.