After six years away from the team to run the Lion Hotel restaurant and focus on his work as a culinary craft trainer at Cambrian Training, Davies is ‘honoured’ and full of “great enthusiasm” for his new role.

Drawing on his experience – as a former Culinary World Cup and Hotel Olympia gold medalist with Wales – the team said Davies knows what it takes to achieve the highest standards on the international stage.

Keen to build a squad of 12 - 15 chefs who Davies hopes to guide to gold success, his first task is to appoint a new team captain. Speaking of future members, he said: “I am looking for chefs who are committed, have a really good skill level, want to progress in their career and will be proud to represent Wales.

“I would like a commitment of at least four years because it’s vitally important that we go to two or three international competitions together, to gain knowledge and progress.

“The aim is to build on what the team achieved at the Culinary World Cup last year and to re-energise by working together to create a positive and exciting environment.

“Ideally, I want a squad with different skills and talents and I want selection to be open and transparent.

“I shall be travelling around Wales to meet chefs and businesses and shall be scouting at the Welsh International Culinary Championships in February.

“We are going to continue to have practice days but also regional cluster meetings to reduce the amount of travelling.

“We have quality Welsh food and drink products, the infrastructure through the Culinary Association of Wales and all we need now is he individuals to put their names forward.”

Davies takes over from former manager Toby Beevers (PSL Purchasing Systems) who retired after last year’s Culinary World Cup (Luxembourg), which saw the team take home silver and bronze medals.

He concluded: “I believe the time is right for me to give something back to the industry. It’s a big honour to be manager of Culinary Team Wales. I think I have proved that I have the discipline, determination and knowledge to do the job. It’s all about engaging chefs’ skills to deliver for Wales.”