The Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), which is organising the three-day Welsh talent and food and drink showcase event ICC Wales, Newport from January 20-22nd , is urging chefs to showcase their skills.

All chefs who intend to enter the National and Junior Chef of Wales 2025 competitions must pre-register by October 7th to attend a mandatory virtual briefing session in advance of submitting their menu by November 15th 2024.

For the National Chef of Wales contest, chefs must cook a three course dinner for 12 diners featuring Welsh ingredients and Cygnet Gin, a headline sponsor. Competitors must be aged 24 or over on February 1st 2025.

The menu must include a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, a main course featuring two different cuts of GI Welsh Beef and a dessert featuring hot, cold and chocolate elements and a biscuit or tuille.

Junior Chef of Wales competitors must cook a three course pescatarian meal for six diners with a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, main course featuring Chirk Farm Trout and a dessert including one hot and one chocolate element.

Chefs must be at least aged 16 and not be older than 23 on February 1st, 2025 and the winner will be automatically seeded into the UK semi-final of the Craft Guild of Chefs Young National Chef of the Year.

In the Vegan Chef of the Year contest, which is sponsored by Cygnet Gin, chefs must be aged 17 or over on February 1st 2025. They are challenged to cook a three course menu for six people free of all animal products. Closing date for entries is November 15th.

The appetiser must have 50% warm components, the main course must have a minimum of three components, including Microgreens and the dessert must include chocolate, tea and two fruit puree products.

For all three competitions, chefs must be of Welsh descent or working or studying for a catering qualification in a college or establishment in Wales. Finalists will be selected for each competition from the menus they submit. Application forms at: https://www.culinaryassociation.wales/competitions/.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: “We are searching for chef to showcase their knowledge, culinary ability and innovation to be considered to represent Wales I the Global Chef Challenge Finals here in Wales in 2026.”

Open competitions for apprentices, students and experienced chefs include the Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef Challenge, Cygnet Gin Cocktail Mixology, Terry’s Patisserie Ltd Modern Cold Desserts and others using GI Welsh Beef, GI Welsh Lamb, Willo Game meat, glazed grilled fish, The Omelette Challenge, Butchery and Cooking Sauté Chicken Challenge and fruit and vegetables knife skills.

There will also be an award for the college gaining most points over the three days, with Coleg y Cymoedd the defending champions.