Local chefs to fly the flag for Wales at Culinary Olympics in Germany
Two well prepared teams of chefs will be flying the Welsh flag as they take on the best in the world at the prestigious IKA Culinary Olympics in Stuttgart next month.
The senior and junior teams are led by by Nick Davies, culinary craft trainer with Cambrian Training, Welshpool, and Callum Smith, from Shrewsbury's Lion and Pheasant hotel.
Senior and junior teams will join around 2,000 chefs and pastry chefs from more than 60 nations at the biggest and oldest international culinary art exhibition from February 14 to 19.
The Senior Culinary Team Wales will be led by Nick Davies who combines the roles of team manager and member, while Sergio Cinotti, from the award-winning Gemelli Restaurant, Newport, takes over the captaincy for the first time.
Matthew Smith, a freelance chef from Newtown, is also part of the team together will pastry chef, Will Richards, and Mark Robertson from Coleg Cambria, Wrexham. The junior team also includes James Jarvis from Sebastians Restaurant, Oswestry.
“The team has a good mix of seasoned competitors and new members who have brought some fresh ideas to the table,” said Nick, who will be competing at his fifth Culinary Olympics.
“Most of the chefs will be competing at the Culinary Olympics for the first time and are understandably excited by the prospect. They have bonded very well.
“Our Restaurant of Nations menu is looking and tasting good and we are perfecting the chef’s edible buffet, which is being introduced for the first time at the Culinary Olympics.”
The senoir team’s Restaurant of Nations menu for 110 opens with a starter of halibut, prawn, ravioli, textures of peas, asparagus and wild garlic and Carmarthen ham. Main course is marmalade glazed duck breast, confit leg bon bon, skin granola, root vegetable terrine, carrot puree and port jus. Dessert is rhubarb, apple, white chocolate, stem ginger and pistachio.
The junior team’s Restaurant of Nations menu features a starter of Pembrokeshire scallop and roe croquette, seabass ceviche, chilled avocado, gin and elderflower cucumber. Main course is dry aged fillet and short rib of Welsh Beef, sourdough crouton, onion puree and Butty Bach jus. Dessert is chocolate black cherry chilled fondant, white chocolate and griottine cherry custard, crème fraiche sorbet, sesame tuille and sour cherry gel.
Culinary Team Wales is sponsored by the Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales, Cambrian Training Company, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Castell Howell Foods, Hybu Cig Cymru and Harlech Foods.
