Do you have what it takes to become a champion Welsh chef?

Chefs who have what it takes to become a Welsh champion are being encouraged to enter prestigious competitions at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) 2025 without delay.

The Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), which is organising the three-day Welsh talent and food and drink showcase event ICC Wales, Newport from January 20-22, is urging chefs to showcase their skills.

All chefs who intend to enter the National and Junior Chef of Wales 2025 competitions must pre-register by October 7 to attend a mandatory virtual briefing session in advance of submitting their menu by November 15, 2024.

Finalists will be selected for each competition from the menus they submit. Application forms at: https://www.culinaryassociation.wales/competitions/ .

For the National Chef of Wales contest, chefs must cook a three course dinner for 12 diners featuring Welsh ingredients and Cygnet Gin, a headline sponsor. Competitors must be aged 24 or over on February 1, 2025.

The menu must include a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, a main course featuring two different cuts of GI Welsh Beef and a dessert featuring hot, cold and chocolate elements and a biscuit or tuille.

Junior Chef of Wales competitors must cook a three course pescatarian meal for six diners with a plant-based starter suitable for a vegan diet, main course featuring Chirk Farm Trout and a dessert including one hot and one chocolate element.

Chefs must be at least aged 16 and not be older than 23 on February 1, 2025 and the winner will be automatically seeded into the UK semi-final of the Young National Chef of the Year.

In the Vegan Chef of the Year contest, which is sponsored by Cygnet Gin, chefs must be aged 17 or over on February 1, 2025. They are challenged to cook a three course menu for six people free of all animal products. Closing date for entries if November 15.

The appetiser must have 50% warm components, the main course must have a minimum of three components, including Microgreens and the dessert must include chocolate, tea and two fruit puree products.

For all three competitions, chefs must be of Welsh descent or working or studying for a catering qualification in a college or establishment in Wales.

With Wales winning the bid to host the Worldchefs Congress and Expo from May 16-19, 2026, the country has secured a golden ticket for the Global Vegan Chef Challenge Final.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: “We are searching for chef to showcase their knowledge, culinary ability and innovation to be considered to represent Wales I the Global Chef Challenge Finals here in Wales in 2026.”

The National Chef of Wales final will be held on January 20 and the other two finals on January 22. Winners of all these competitions will be announced at a Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony to close the championships on the evening of January 22.

Diners can reserve tickets to experience the dishes cooked by the chefs in the three finals at: office@culinaryassociation.wales and details of how to book tables for the Gala dinner can found in the WICC essential guide: https://www.culinaryassociation.wales/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WICC-Schedule-25-4.pdf

Open competitions for apprentices, students and experienced chefs include the Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef Challenge, Cygnet Gin Cocktail Mixology, Terry’s Patisserie Ltd Modern Cold Desserts and others using GI Welsh Beef, GI Welsh Lamb, Willo Game meat, glazed grilled fish, The Omelette Challenge, Butchery and Cooking Sauté Chicken Challenge and fruit and vegetables knife skills.

There will also be an award for the college gaining most points over the three days, with Coleg y Cymoedd the defending champions.

Featuring a Welsh Food and Drink Expo, the WICC will also host the Wales Hospitality Finals of Skills Wales /SgiliauCymru . Safe food working practices will be rewarded with prizes from Ecolab who will be monitoring competitions.

Sponsors of the Welsh International Culinary Championships are Food and Drink Wales, Kentaur, Roller Grill UK, MCS Technical Products, Cambrian Training Company, Castell Howell, Cygnet Gin, Capital Cuisine, City & Guilds UK, Essential Cuisine, Ecolab, Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales, Terry’s Patisserie Ltd, Willo Game, Fresh & Tasty Microgreens and Friedr Dick GmbH & Co.