Silver lining for young Welsh chefs at the Culinary World Cup

The Junior Culinary Team Wales is celebrating a silver medal at the Culinary World Cup success in Luxembourg.

The talented young chefs added the silver medal in the Restaurant of Nations hot kitchen to a bronze medal awarded in the Table of Fire element of the competition on Sunday.

The team, comprising young chefs from across Wales and the border, competed against 15 other teams from around the world at the high profile culinary event.

The ‘Table of Fire’ saw them prepare four different kinds of cold and hot finger food, a cold, festive fish or seafood platter and hot main courses and dessert for 12 people.

They completed their competition in the Restaurant of Nations where they prepared and cooked a three-course menu 70 people.

Junior Culinary Team Wales is managed by Michael Kirkham-Evans, a lecturer at the Grŵp Llandrillo Menai campus in Rhos-on-Sea campus and coached by Danny Burke, co-owner of Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn and former Senior Culinary Team Wales captain.

The team comprises captain Calum Smith, pastry chef at Shrewsbury School, Harry Paynter-Roberts, sous chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, near Chester, Sion Hughes, head chef the Spa at Carden Park Hotel, Stephanie Belcher, chef de partie at Coast, Saundersfoot, Harry Osborne, head chef at the Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy and Jay Rees, who is studying for a degree at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

Squad members supporting the team in Luxembourg are Amira Milner from Signatures Restaurant, Conwy, Heather Spencer, commis chef at Links Hotel, Llandudno and Pippa Taylor, who is completing a Culinary Arts Degree at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai campus in Rhos-on-Sea.

Coach Danny Burke said: “We are all delighted with the silver medal in the hot kitchen. When you consider the inexperience in the team – some chefs were competing at this level for the first time – and the fact that they were competing against the best in the world, I think they have exceeded expectations.

“The team has been rewarded for their hard work over the past 11 months. Both Mike and I could not have asked for any more from them in terms of commitment and they have conducted themselves in a very professional manner this week.

“The progression and improvement, since the Culinary Olympics, in the way they worked was noted by the judges. The team was a little deflated with the bronze medal but we were up against the best in the world and the feedback from the judges pinpointed the finer details and technical skills that they need to work on.”

Captain Calum Smith praised the hard work by everybody involved with the team. “Overall, we are delighted to win silver and bronze medals, which is a massive achievement for our inexperienced team and for Wales,” he said.

“It was my second competition as captain and the knowledge I have gained has put the fire in my belly to get what we all want – a gold medal at the Culinary Olympics in 2024.”

Medal arian i gogyddion ifanc Cymru yng Nghwpan y Byd Coginio

Mae Tîm Coginio Ieuenctid Cymru yn dathlu ar ôl ennill medal arian yng Nghwpan y Byd Coginio yn Lwcsembwrg.

Enillodd y cogyddion ifanc dawnus y fedal arian yng nghystadleuaeth ‘Cegin Boeth’ Bwyty’r Cenhedloedd ar ôl cipio’r fedal efydd yn elfen ‘Bwrdd Tân’ y gystadleuaeth ddydd Sul.

Roedd y tîm, sy’n cynnwys cogyddion ifanc o bob rhan o Gymru a’r gororau, yn cystadlu yn erbyn 15 tîm arall o bob cwr o’r byd yn yr ornest goginio fawreddog.

Ar gyfer y ‘Bwrdd Tân’ roedd gofyn paratoi pedwar math gwahanol o fwyd bys a bawd oer a phoeth; platiaid oer, Nadoligaidd, o bysgod neu fwyd môr; a phrif gyrsiau poeth a phwdin i 12 o bobl.

Daeth penllanw’r gystadleuaeth ym Mwyty’r Cenhedloedd lle buont yn paratoi a choginio pryd tri chwrs ar gyfer 70 o bobl.

Rheolwr Tîm Coginio Ieuenctid Cymru yw Michael Kirkham-Evans, darlithydd ar gampws Grŵp Llandrillo Menai yn Llandrillo-yn-Rhos a’r hyfforddwr yw Danny Burke, cydberchennog Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn a chyn gapten Tîm Coginio Hŷn Cymru.

Aelodau’r tîm yw Calum Smith, y capten, sy’n chef cynnyrch crwst mewn ysgol breifat yn Amwythig, Harry Paynter-Roberts, sous chef yn y Carden Park Hotel and Spa, ger Caer, Sion Hughes, pen-cogydd yn The Spa at Carden Park Hotel, Stephanie Belcher, chef de partie yn Coast, Saundersfoot, Harry Osborne, pen-cogydd y Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy a Jay Rees, sy’n astudio am radd gyda Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

Aelodau’r garfan oedd yn cefnogi’r tîm yn Lwcsembwrg yw Amira Milner o Signatures Restaurant, Conwy, Heather Spencer, commis chef yn y Links Hotel, Llandudno a Pippa Taylor, sy’n gwneud gradd yn y Celfyddydau Coginio ar gampws Grŵp Llandrillo Menai yn Llandrillo-yn-Rhos.

Dywedodd yr hyfforddwr, Danny Burke: “Mae pawb wrth eu bodd â’r fedal arian yn y gegin boeth.  O ystyried pa mor ddibrofiad yw’r tîm – dyma’r tro cyntaf i rai o’r cogyddion gystadlu ar y lefel hon – a’r ffaith eu bod yn cystadlu yn erbyn goreuon y byd, rwy’n credu eu bod wedi rhagori ar ddisgwyliadau pawb.

“Mae’r tîm wedi cael eu gwobrwyo am eu gwaith caled dros yr 11 mis diwethaf.  Allai Mike na minnau ddim fod wedi gofyn am fwy o ymrwymiad ac maen nhw wedi ymddwyn mewn ffordd broffesiynol iawn yr wythnos yma.

Sylwodd y beirniaid ar y cynnydd a’r gwelliant yn eu ffordd o weithio ers y Gemau Olympaidd Coginio. Roedd y tîm ychydig yn siomedig â’r fedal efydd ond roedden ni yn erbyn y gorau yn y byd ac roedd adborth y beirniaid yn nodi’r manylion a’r sgiliau technegol y mae angen gweithio arnyn nhw.”

Roedd y capten, Calum Smith yn llawn canmoliaeth i bawb oedd ynglŷn â’r tîm. “Rydym wrth ein bodd o ennill medalau arian ac efydd. Mae hynny’n gamp aruthrol i’n tîm dibrofiad ac i Gymru,” meddai.

“Hon oedd yr ail gystadleuaeth i mi fel capten ac mae’r hyn rydw i wedi’i ddysgu wedi rhoi tân yn fy mol i anelu at yr hyn sy’n nod i bawb – yfedal aur yn y Gêmau Olympaidd Coginio yn 2024.”