The two competitions provide a platform for chefs, who must be of Welsh decent or work or study in Wales, to showcase their culinary skills in front of a panel of judges. The judges selected the 13 finalists after they submitted an original three-course menu. 

Both finals and the awards dinner will be held at Cardiff and Vale College City Campus on 30 March 2020. The Junior Chef of Wales final will take place at 10am and the National Chef final will follow at 2pm. 

Arwyn Watkins, Culinary Association of Wales president, said: “We think it’s important that the National and Junior Chef of Wales finals become a standalone event rather being a part of the Welsh International Culinary Championships.

“Chefs who have qualified for the finals deserve the kudos of having their own day and platform to showcase their skills. We are delighted with the quality of the entries and level of interest befitting the premier competitions for Welsh chefs.”

The National Chef of Wales finalists are: 

• Wayne Barnard, 37, The Ivy, Cardiff 
• Former Junior Chef of Wales winner Andrew Tabberner, 27, Gaerwen Arms, Gaerwen, Anglesey
•  Joshua Hughes, 24, Signatures Restaurant, Aberconwy
•  Cyril Gabriel, 25, Carden Park, near Chester
•  Last year’s finalist Sam Griffiths, 25, The Chester Grosvenor, Chester 
• Former Culinary Team Wales member David Kelman, 44, Cowley Manor Hotel, Cowley, Cheltenham

The chefs had to submit a menu with a starter suitable for vegans, a main course featuring two different cuts of Welsh beef and a dessert using chocolate as the main ingredient. 

The winner will receive £1,000, a study tour hosted by Koppert Cress in the Netherlands, a set of engraved knives made by Friedr Dick and £250 worth of tableware products from Churchill. 

The Junior Chef of Wales finalists are: 

• Ieuan Davies, 23, The Manor House, Castle Combe, Chippenham
• Dalton Weir, 20, Home Cookin, Llandudno
• Thomas Herbert, 22, Lucknam Park Hotel, Colerne, Chippenham
• Lucy Alchin, 21, Cleverchefs, Cardiff
• Thomas Martin, 23, freelance chef, South Wales
• Harry Osbourne, 21, Deganwy Quay, Conwy 
• Oliver Thompson, 22, The Coffee Bean, Gaerwen

Junior chefs had to submit a three-course menu with a starter suitable for vegans, a main course using Welsh lamb and a dessert including Welsh honey. 

The winner will receive an all expenses trip with the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) to the World Chefs Congress 2020 in St Petersburg, Russia. They will also join the Worldchefs Young Chefs Club during their visit. 

In addition they will be invited to attend a study tour hosted by Koppert Cress in the Netherlands, a set of engraved Friedr Dick knives, £100 worth of tableware products from Churchill and they will be seeded through to the semi-finals of the Young National Chef of the Year organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs.