Talented and ambitious young chefs are being urged to join the Welsh National Culinary Junior Team, which has been relaunched thanks to an exciting new partnership.
The Welsh Culinary Association has signed a four-year partnership agreement with Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea that will see the college become home to the junior team, provide sponsorship and catering lecturer Mike Evans as coach.
Evans will work closely with senior team manager Graham Tinsley, a director of the Castle Hotel, Conwy and executive chef at Carden Park Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa near Chester, to nurture the nation’s best young chefs.
The team is open to chefs aged 23 years and under who are either working or training within Wales or Welsh chefs working or training in England. Although the team base is Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, training events will be held at different locations around Wales.
Welsh Culinary Association president Peter Jackson said the partnership was an exciting development and opened the door for local chefs to represent their country.
“This partnership represents a brilliant opportunity for young chefs within Wales and Welsh chefs working over the border in England,” he added. “The junior team’s first major competition will be the Culinary Olympics in Germany in 2012 followed by the Culinary World Cup two years later.
“The junior team holds the key to the future and hopefully many of the young chefs will progress to the senior team to compete at the highest level on the world stage.”
The partnership is looking to build a squad of around 16 young chefs who will compete for a place in the team.
Any young chef interested in joining the junior team is asked to contact Mr Tinsley on Tel: 07765 404950.