Sion Hughes, head chef at The Spa at Carden Park, and Calum Smith, pastry chef at Shrewsbury School, won silver medals when representing the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) in the final, held at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026.

The Welsh chefs cooked a four course menu for 12 people, including a vegan starter, a halibut fish course, three cuts of veal in the main course and Valrhona chocolate and Dilmah tea in the dessert. Their mentor Graham Tinsley, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, travelled with them to the final.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: “It’s an amazing achievement by Sion and Calum to secure silver medals and sixth place, just half a point outside the top five, against some of the best culinary arts countries in the world. We now focus all our efforts on hosting the next Global Chefs Challenge Finals in Wales at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo at ICC Wales, Newport from May 16-19th 2026.”