Wrexham-based Sion Hughes, head chef at The Spa at Carden Park, is teaming up again with Calum Smith, pastry chef at Shrewsbury School, to fly the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) flag. Their mentor is Graham Tinsley, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa.

The former Junior Culinary Team Wales teammates Sion and Calum won through to the global final after coming runners-up with a silver medal in the competition’s North Europe heat, in Italy last year.

The global final is being held at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2024 in Singapore from October 20-25th and the Welsh pair will be competing on October 23rd. They will be competing against 19 chefs representing countries around world.

Sion and Calum have been practising under Graham’s watchful eye every Monday for months and their latest run through of the four course menu for 12 people went totally to plan.

The chefs will be cooking a vegan starter using Koppert Cress, a halibut fish course, three cuts of veal in the main course and Valrhona chocolate and Dilmah tea in the dessert.

Graham praised the work ethic of both young chefs. He said: “They work really well together and the food they are producing is excellent. This is a massive competition and it’s great achievement to reach the final.”