National Chef of Wales – Monday 20th January 2025
You MUST PRE-REGISTER your interest for this competition & either attend or receive a virtual briefing, BEFORE you submit your application & menu.
If you do not pre-register, your application will not be considered by the judges.
Download the application form HERE and email to office@culinaryassociation.wales
Or complete the application online below
National chef of Wales Competition Rules & Conditions
1. Age Limit
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Open to all chefs, 24 and over on 1st February 2025. All entrants must be of Welsh descent or working/studying for a catering qualification in a college or establishment in Wales.
2. Entries
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You MUST PRE-REGISTER your interest for this competition at www.culinaryassociation.wales/competitions by mid October – you will be asked to join a virtual briefing, where you can meet other like-minded Chefs and get a full briefing on GI products. You should attend this virtual briefing BEFORE you submit your application & menu.
All entries must be submitted on the official entry form accompanying these rules and conditions, together with an administration fee of £30.00 made payable to “The Culinary Association of Wales”. Payment Information: Account Number: 81734059 | Sort Code: 40-37-13 An A4 page for each course with a full recipe for TWELVE persons to be affixed to the entry form, which should be sent to: Culinary Association of Wales Office , Ty Cambrian, Unit 10, Offas Dyke Business Park, Fisher Rd, Welshpool SY21 8JF or via email: office@culinaryassociation.wales Last day of acceptance for application forms: 15th November 2024
3. Menu
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As part of our commitment to the promotion of Welsh Food and Drink and in particular products of Geographical Importance (GI), your menu must feature Welsh food products
- The entry must be the competitor’s own creative menu for a 3 course dinner for TWELVE persons, [Soup is not to be used for the first course].
- The starter must be Plant-Based – suitable for a vegan diet.
- The main course must use 2 different cuts of GI Welsh Beef
- The dessert should be a plated dessert of the competitor’s choice and include 1 hot element, 1 cold element , 1 chocolate element and a biscuit or tuille. (the chocolate should be an integral part of the dish and not just a garnish)
- A headline sponsor of the Culinary Association of Wales is Cygnet Gin, this product must be used within your menu, the gin will be supplied by us.
Competitors must try to use Welsh GI products within the menu, please go to New UK Geographical Indication (GI) Schemes | Business Wales – Food and drink (gov.wales) for a full list of Welsh GI products. It is your responsibility to source these items directly from the supplier(s), we will assist in co-ordinating this once we have a definitive shopping list of GI products from each finalist.
Chosen finalists will be expected to compete for the title on Monday, 20th January 2025 at The ICC, Newport
4. Time Allowed
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The time allowed for the completion of the menu is THREE hours.
Only the following mise-en-place will be allowed:
- Meat stock, not reduced or seasoned
- Peeled and washed vegetables – not prepared in any other way.
- Fruit and vegetable purees are permitted but must not be seasoned or finished item
- No glaze or concentrated juices
- Dried fruit / or vegetable powder permitted
- Dehydrated fruit or sheets permitted
- Vegetable ash and home-made spice mixture are permitted.
- Shellfish should be raw in their shells but cleaned. Crustaceans should be raw or boiled, but not peeled.
- Stocks – basic stock, not reduced, not seasoned, no additional items (garlic, wines, etc.) and hot and cold samples must be available for the judges.
- Pastry, sponge, biscuit, – can be brought in, but not cut. Meringue can be in a piping bag pre-made but not cooked. Basic pastry recipes can be brought in weighed out but no further processing.
- Fruit pulps – fruit purees may be brought in but not as a finished sauce.
- Decor elements – 100% must be made in the kitchen. Food colors, titanium dioxide, glitters, gold dust are not allowed.
Teams violating these rules will be penalized up to 10% from the maximum potential score. Dishes are to be presented in course order, service will begin at 12.30 and competitors will have a staggered start, which in turn will result in a staggered service time of 10-minute intervals. This is to give the judges ample time to assess the plate, you will be prompted by the judges at your designated service time, a schedule of which will be published before the competition so your workplan can be accurately compiled, taking the intervals into consideration. 2 plates for the judges, 1 plate for photographs and the remaining 9 plates will be served to invited guests/sponsors. At the end of the competition, when time is called, competitors are judged only on what has already been presented. The service should be seamless in the style of a high-end restaurant.
5. Provision of food & equipment
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The provision of all commodities and small kitchen equipment is the responsibility of the competitor throughout the contest, please note that this year’s competition will be held using induction technology for cooking. The organisers accept no responsibility for loss or damage to your equipment. Only fresh food will be accepted, seasonal factors should be taken into account.
6. Selection of finalists
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On the basis of the entry form and menu, the judges will select the best entrants who will qualify for the final.
7. Presentation
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Competitors will be asked to present their menu in the following manner:
- All courses to be plated in front of their workstation.
- Two plates for judges, ONE plate for photographs, NINE plates for service to invited guests and sponsors.
- Competitors will be asked to leave the service areas whilst judges complete their marking.
- Competitors must produce a bilingual presentation menu in Welsh and English.
- Excessive use of decorative silverware, napkins, flowers, wine/glasses and menus will not be taken into consideration by the judging panel.
8. Judging
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The prizes will be awarded in order of merit to those entrants who show the following:
• Best meal produced
• Balance of menu and use of Welsh products
• Blends of texture, colour, taste and flavour
• Range of technical and knife skills shown
• Presentation of food
• Personal and practical hygiene
• Self-organisation
9. Winner
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The final will consist of the EIGHT highest scorers from the paper judging.
The final will take place on Monday, 20th January 2025, followed by an Awards Dinner in the evening of Wednesday 22nd January 2025, of which each finalist will be allocated 2 tickets. – one for themselves and one for their commi chef. Additional tickets can be purchased.
10. Commis
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Competitors are allowed a commis to assist in all food preparation, cooking and presentation tasks.
11. General
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a) Failure to comply with these rules will lead to disqualification.
b) Any point can be verified with the Chairman of Judges before the final by letter, the reply will be brought to the notice of the judges prior to the commencement of the competition.
c) The decision of the judges is final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into concerning the judge’s decision.
d) Submission of a menu will constitute an agreement to abide by these rules and conditions.
e) Ingredients and instruction recipes must be provided in English – menu titles may be in Welsh but translations must be provided.
f) Recipes become the property of the Culinary Association of Wales and Sponsors.
g) Competitors are allowed a commis to assist, in line with World Chefs rules this person CAN assist in the creation, preparation or presentation of the food.
Notes of guidance for competitors
a) Competitors are reminded that the eating quality of the food they produce is as important as the visual appeal and marks can be lost in this very valuable area.
b) Competitors should plan their hot dishes and method of work so that their food is served HOT
c) A few minutes· notice. given by the competitor to the Chairman of the Judges. will ensure that the competitor’s food is judged in the best possible condition.
If DOWNLOADING THE PDF FORM PLEASE TYPE YOUR ENTRY AND EMAIL / POST BACK
PLEASE NOTE CHEF JACKET SIZE ON YOUR APPPLICATION FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR COMMI CHEF
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