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25th May 2022

Former YNCOTY finalist prepares to compete on global stage

Written by: Edward Waddell
Harry Paynter-Roberts, a 24-year-old sous chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, will be competing against seven of the world’s best young chefs in the Global Young Chefs Challenge Final at the Worldchefs Congress and Expo in Abu Dhabi.

Harry was third in the Craft Guild of Chefs Young National Chef of the Year final in 2020 and was runner up in the Junior Chef of Wales final in 2017 and 2018. In November, he will join the Junior Culinary Team Wales at the Villeroy & Boch Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. He will be representing the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) in both competitions.

He already has experience of the Global Chefs Challenge competition, having been commis chef for former Senior Culinary Team Wales captain Danny Burke when he won the Northern Europe heat in Italy in 2019.

His Asian inspired warm seafood starter, featuring sterling white halibut, will be followed by a main course using veal fillet and veal neck and a dessert using chocolate, dilmah tea and puree.

Harry commented: “We are very happy with the dishes and I am now practicing the run through with Graham. Chefs are unable to use alcohol in the dishes in Abu Dhabi, so I am using citrus and beetroot juice to form the jus. It’s a different concept for me. It’s a great opportunity for me and I’m really looking forward to competing in the final. I have never been to Abu Dhabi, so it’s another country to tick off the list.

“It has been a very busy time at work and becoming a father, but now I’m totally focused on the Global Young Chefs Challenge, which is a big step up for me. When I return, it will be straight back to training for the Culinary World Cup. It’s great to have Graham, Harry Williams and former Junior Chef of Wales winner Sion Hughes here to Carden Park to give advice.”