Cold is gold for top Welsh chefs

The Welsh Culinary Team hopes to scoop gold at the Olympics

Some of Wales' most talented chefs have struck gold in cooking's equivalent of the Olympics.

It is Wales' debut in the competition as a nation having competed twice as a region of Britain.

Twenty-two cooks jetted off to Germany last Thursday to prepare for the three-day event which starts on Monday.

The five members of the Welsh junior team were awarded the gold for their cold table.

"The lads are ecstatic but awestruck at the same time," said junior team coach Arwyn Watkins.

"We were the only team in the cold platters competition to win a gold on the first day and the best result in the hot kitchen was silver.

"They have now set the standard and it sets us up nicely for the hot kitchen competition on Tuesday."

Mr Watkins added: "Our display table was clean, balanced and done in such a way that it demonstrated the skills of the chefs without over-complicating the tasks, which were well executed.

"We tried to keep things simple and it paid dividends."

Captained by Hefin Roberts, 21, head chef at Cobdens Restaurant, Capel Curig, the junior team also includes Gary Griffiths, 19, chef de partie at the Castle Hotel, Conwy, Brian Spackman, 20, chef de partie Wynnstay Hotel, Machynlleth and Adam Taylor, 20, commis chef at Hotel Maesyneuadd at Talsarnau in Gwynedd.

Team vice-captain Nick Davies, from Powys, hopes the team will improve on the two golds achieved in 2000 by the chefs.

Ranked 13th in the world, he adds that it is one of the strongest Welsh squads ever to attend the gastronomic event.

Senior and junior teams are carrying the nation's hopes at the prestigious Culinary Olympics, in Erfurt, where they will be expected to cut the mustard with the cream of the world's chefs.

A gold would be a massive achievement considering the resources we have as a team Wales team manager Graham Tinsley

Mr Davies, 35, from Abermule, near Newtown, said: "The boys are pretty confident they can improve on the two golds and a number of silvers picked up in 2000 at the Culinary Olympics.

"We've had three months of intense training and we're looking to win gold in the hot kitchen, which will see the team prepare 110 meals to a set menu."

He added: "We've got a lot of strength and depth and an immense amount of knowledge.

"This is my third Olympics and we've got others in the team who have appeared at world championships."

Welsh National Culinary Team manager Graham Tinsley, co-owner of The Castle Hotel, Conwy, has been planning for the Olympics for more than a year.

A veteran of two Olympics and winner of bronze and silver medals, he wants to complete the collection with a gold this time.

"A gold would be a massive achievement considering the resources we have as a team and the limited amount of time we have available to practice," said Mr Tinsley, 44.

It is one of the strongest teams of Welsh chefs, says Nick Davies

"Most of the senior team members either run their own businesses or work in busy hotels and restaurants which means that getting time off to practice is very difficult.

"None of the chefs gets paid to represent Wales and they all have to use their holiday time to compete in competitions.

"Wales is currently ranked 13th in the world and that's a remarkable achievement for a small country that has a sponsorship budget of £28,500 when compared to a country like Canada that is run on a budget of around $2 million."

Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in both the hot and cold kitchen competitions and the combined points decide where the team finishes overall.

Wales' primary goal is to finish in the top 10 so that the team is invited to next year's World Championships in Switzerland.