Graham Tinsley, MBE, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, near Chester takes up the new position as culinary director and Kurt Fleming, head chef at The Angel Hotel in Cardiff, is the new financial director in succession to Toby Beevers, who held the post for ten years.

The CAW has decided to make membership free to chefs who were either born in Wales or who work or live in Wales. Chefs can sign up here.

The Junior Culinary Team Wales will be competing at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg in November and Craft Butchery Team Wales will be making its debut at the World Butchery Challenge in Sacramento, California in September.

Tinsley said his immediate focus as the CAW’s culinary director is to reassemble and strengthen the Senior Culinary Team Wales for future international competitions.

He said: “It’s nice to come back as culinary director and I am looking forward to the challenge. My focus will be on the cooking and getting the senior team competing at the highest level again. Members of the junior teams have a couple more competitions before they can step up to the senior team, but I can see the potential progression there, which is the way it should be.”

A special event is being planned to celebrate the 30th birthday of the CAW in June 2023.