Aberystwyth chef to compete in final of Welsh culinary contest

An Aberystwyth chef has made it through to the National Chef of Wales contest final in the new year after closely contested semi-finals.

Nathan Davies, 25, head chef at the Belle Vue Royal Hotel, Aberystwyth, is joined in the final by Benjamin Taylor, 34, head chef and Thomas Westerland, 24, chef de partie, both from the Michelin starred Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa at Colerne, near Chippenham and Jack Davison, 23, sous chef from Deganwy Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy, who was runner up in the final two years ago.

Davies, who was making his competition debut, confessed to being “gobsmacked” when his name was read out in the top four. “I am chuffed to bits,” he said. “We have worked hard on the dishes and every single time I think I could have done better. I can’t wait for the final now and it would amazing to win.”

They clinched the four final places after the semi-finals, hosted by NPTC Group’s Newtown campus on Monday. For the first time, the contest has been thrown open to Wales born chefs who are now working outside the country. Previously, the contest was restricted to chefs living, working or studying in Wales.

The competition is organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) and main sponsor is Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government’s department representing the food and drink industry.

Apart from the kudos of being named best in Wales, the winner of the nation’s premier culinary contest for senior chefs will automatically go through to the UK semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year contest.

The final will be held on the last day of the 2016 Welsh International Culinary Championships at Coleg Llandrillo, Rhos-on-Sea, Colwyn Bay on the afternoon of Thursday, February 18. The finalists will be given three hours to cook a three course meal.

The judges were chairman John Retallick, CAW secretary, Colin Gray, chef patron of Capital Cuisine and CAW vice president, Michael Bates, executive chef at the Celtic Manor, Newport, Shaun Bailey, senior chef lecturer at NPTC Newtown campus, Eric Bruce, chef patron at Restaurant Severn, Ironbridge and Chris Bason, Cambrian Training Company’s head of hospitality.

The judges praised the high standard of the competition and congratulated the chefs for producing some “stunning” individual dishes.

The losing semi-finalists were: Dion Jones, head chef at the Lion and Pheasant Hotel, Shrewsbury, John Quill, owner of JQ Catering Services, Cardiff, Andreas Leisinger, senior sous chef at St Georges Hotel, Llandudno, Nickolas Collins, director of Grate Catering and The Pickled Radish @ The Laleston Inn, Laleston, near Bridgend.

The four finalists (from left) Benjamin Taylor, Thomas Westerland, Nathan Davies 

and Jack Davison with Culinary Association of Wales secretary John Retallick.

Picture captions:

Top: Nathan Davies ‘fired up” in the semi final.

Notes for Editors:

The chefs’ menus:

Nathan Davies: Starter: Mi-cuit salmon, cottage cheese organic local watercress and picked SY23 elderberries. Main course: SY23 lamb rump and braised satay, salt baked organic beetroot, organic leaves, charred spring onions, Llaeth y Llan yoghurt and braising sauce. Dessert: aerated chocolate, poached pear, caramelised pear sorbet, vanilla mayonnaise, wood sorrel and candied walnuts.

Benjamin Taylor: Starter: Roast loin of rabbit, sage and rabbit pate, pickled carrots, cobnuts and wood sorrel. Main course: Baked fillet of Welsh seatrout, beetroot puree, shitake mushrooms, salsify, tarragon and potato gnocchi and tarragon oil. Dessert: Pont Gar cheesecake with chai spices, green apple sorbet, macadamia, nut crumb and Penderyn whiskey jelly.

Jack Davison: Starter: Great Orme crab, citrus salad, avocado and Snowdon ale jelly. Main course: Butter poached chicken, roasted trompettes, carrot, pinenut crumb and truffle. Dessert: Dark chocolate torte, banana, caramel and popcorn.

Thomas Westerland: Starter: Roast Cardigan Bay turbot, buttered iceberg, artichoke, hand-rolled macaroni and lava bread. Main course: Roast Madgetts Farm chicken, chicken faggot, wing Kiev, Savoy fricassee, celeriac risotto and baby leaves. Dessert: Welsh whiskey crème brûlée, apple ad cinnamon doughnuts, apple jelly and chocolate sorbet.