Stephanie wins the coveted Junior Chef of Wales title

A young chef from Crickhowell has cooked her way to the prestigious Junior Chef of Wales title after a closely contested final at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) yesterday (Thursday).

Stephanie Belcher, a 21-year-old chef de partie from Coast Restaurant, Saundersfoot, edged out four other chefs to take the coveted trophy after less than two weeks to prepare for the final.

She had been due to compete in a team of two at the Global Pastry Chef Challenge North Europe heat in Italy this week before a late withdrawal of Wales’ entry. She then had to switch her focus to the Junior Chef of Wales final.

She and the other finalists were given three hours to cook a three-course dinner for four people, using their own creative menu and mostly Welsh ingredients.

Stephanie’s commis chef in the final was Junior Culinary Team Wales teammate Jay Rees, a degree student at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai. Jay won the award for best commis in both the National and Junior Chef of Wales competitions.

She cooked a menu comprising a starter of scallop, watercress and shrimp with a selection of foraged Welsh sea herbs. Main course was Welsh Beef, celeriac, cavalo nero and local vegetables from Saundersfoot. Dessert was pear caraibe, Valhrona chocolate, almond financier, lapsang souchong espuma, pickled pear and raspberry.

She now qualifies for the semi-finals of the Young National Chef of the Year contest, organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs and will receive support from the Junior Culinary Team Wales, of which she is a member, a set of engraved knives from Friedr Dick and products worth £100 from Churchill.

Organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai in Rhos-on-Sea, the WICC’s main sponsor is Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Government’s department representing the food and drink industry.

Other sponsors include Castell Howell, Churchill, Major International, Riso Gallo, Dick Knives, MCS Tech Products, Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, Cambrian Training Company and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

“I am so proud to win the competition here in Wales,” she said. “I have the privilege of representing my country and this is another step up. Hopefully, there will be more to come in the future.”

She admitted that she wasn’t expecting to win, having had a few problems with the new equipment she brought with her to the final. “It could have gone better but that’s competitions,” she added. “I am very critical of my own performance.

“It was a very difficult competition against four other great young chefs. The talent in the kitchen was incredible. I owe a lot to my commis Jay who stepped up at the last moment and to my mum and dad whose support has been amazing.”

Runner up was 16-year-old Abigail Williams, a student at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw Campus and Oliver Herrington, demi chef de partie at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport and Katie Duffy, second chef at Llanelly House, Llanelli, were joint third.

The other finalist, Falon Bailie, junior sous chef at Foyles of Glasbury, won the award for best dish in the final with his starter of Welsh hand dived scallops, cauliflower, pea, black pudding, pancetta, hazelnut and apple.

Colin Gray, chairman of the judges, praised Stephanie’s “well executed dishes” and commitment to the competition, having only 12 days to compose a menu and work on her dishes.

He praised all the chefs for having the courage to enter and reserved special praised for Abigail. “She competed today at the age of 16 and I am staggered by the fact that this young lady has been cooking for just three or four months,” he added. “She is definitely one to watch for the future.”

“We also had a couple of new finalists, including 16-year-old Abigail Williams, which is brilliant to see. Abigail is a junior champion in the making,” he said.

The winners were announced at an awards dinner held at The Imperial Hotel, Llandudno last night.

Menus by the Junior Chef of Wales finalists:

Falon Bailie: Starter: Welsh hand dived scallop, cauliflower, pea, black pudding, pancetta, hazelnut and apple. Main course: Welsh Black aged beef fillet, smoked tongue, hanger steak pithivier, roasted beetroot puree, celeriac fondant, Wye Valley asparagus, wild rice, chive and garlic emulsion, pickled carrot and beef reduction. Dessert: dark chocolate, miso, pistachio, strawberry and sheep’s yoghurt.

Katie Duffy: Starter: Pan seared Welsh scallops served with red cabbage puree, tempura prawn, pea puree and crispy pancetta. Main course: PGI Welsh Beef fillet served with parmentier potatoes, caramelised onion puree, tenderstem broccoli, vichy carrots, spiced beef bon bon and red wine. Chocolate souffle served with raspberry sorbet, chocolate crumb, Chantilly cream, tuille biscuit, raspberry coulis and raspberry dust.

Oliver Herrington: Starter: Butter poached halibut with mushroom and bacon cream garnished with dulse seaweed and bacon crumb. Main course: Fillet of beef with boulangere potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, carrot puree and Welsh cottage pie and thyme jus. Dessert: Baked cinnamon apple with dark chocolate mousse, apple and vanilla salsa and honey truffle.

Abigail Williams: Starter: Mosaic of sole, tortellini with Pembrokeshire scallop mousse, Penclawdd cockles, velouté and monk’s beard. Main course: Sirloin of Welsh Beef, brisket faggot, golden baby beetroot, Roscof onion, fondant potatoes, parsley and black garlic. Dessert: Bitter chocolate tart, blackcurrant gel, Penderyn Whisky anglaise, mint oil and pistachio caramel.

Cogydd ifanc o Grucywel a enillodd y teitl mawreddog Cogydd Ifanc Cymru ar ôl cystadleuaeth frwd yn rownd derfynol Pencampwriaethau Coginio Rhyngwladol Cymru (WICC) ddoe (dydd Iau).

Llwyddodd Stephanie Belcher, cogydd de partie 21 oed o Fwyty Coast, Saundersfoot, i ennill y blaen ar bedwar cogydd arall i gipio’r tlws ar ôl cael llai na phythefnos i baratoi ar gyfer y rownd derfynol.

Roedd hi i fod i gystadlu mewn tîm o ddau yn rownd Gogledd Ewrop o Her Fyd-eang y Cogyddion Crwst yn yr Eidal yr wythnos hon ond cafodd cais Cymru ei dynnu yn ôl. Yna bu’n rhaid iddi newid trywydd a chanolbwyntio ar rownd derfynol Cogydd Ifanc Cymru.

Cafodd hi a’r lleill yn y rownd derfynol dair awr i goginio cinio tri chwrs i bedwar o bobl, gan ddefnyddio’u bwydlen greadigol eu hunain a chynhwysion o Gymru yn bennaf.

Jay Rees, myfyriwr gradd yng Ngrŵp Llandrillo Menai, a chyd-aelod o Dîm Coginio Ieuenctid Cymru oedd commis chef Stephanie yn y rownd derfynol. Jay a enillodd y wobr am y commis gorau yng nghystadlaethau Cogydd Cenedlaethol a Chogydd Ifanc Cymru.

Dyma oedd bwydlen Stephanie: Cwrs cyntaf o gregyn bylchog, berwr dŵr a berdys gyda llysiau môr o Gymru wedi’u fforio; prif gwrs o Gig Eidion Cymru, seleriac, cavalo nero a llysiau lleol o Saundersfoot; A caraibe gellyg, siocled Valhrona, financier almon, espuma lapsang souchong, gellyg wedi’u piclo a mafon yn bwdin.

Yn awr, mae’n mynd trwodd i rownd gynderfynol cystadleuaeth Cogydd Ifanc y Flwyddyn, Prydain, a drefnir gan y Craft Guild of Chefs a bydd yn derbyn cefnogaeth

Tîm Coginio Ieuenctid Cymru, y mae’n aelod ohono, set o gyllyll Friedr Dick a chynnyrch gwerth £100 gan Churchill.

Trefnwyd Pencampwriaethau WICC gan Gymdeithas Goginio Cymru (CAW) a’u cynnal ar gampws Grŵp Llandrillo Menai yn Llandrillo-yn-Rhos. Y prif noddwr yw Bwyd a Diod Cymru, yr adran yn Llywodraeth Cymru sy’n cynrychioli’r diwydiant bwyd a diod.

Ymhlith y noddwyr eraill mae Castell Howell, Churchill, Major International, Riso Gallo, Dick Knives, MCS Tech Products, Hybu Cig Cymru, Cwmni Hyfforddiant Cambrian a Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

“Rwy mor falch o ennill y gystadleuaeth yma yng Nghymru,” meddai. “Rwy’n cael y fraint o gynrychioli fy ngwlad ac y mae hyn yn gam arall ymlaen. Gobeithio y bydd rhagor i ddod yn y dyfodol.”

Cyfaddefodd nad oedd hi’n disgwyl ennill, ar ôl cael problemau â’r offer newydd a ddaeth gyda hi i’r rownd derfynol. “Gallai fod wedi mynd yn well ond fel’na mae mewn cystadlaethau,” meddai. “Rwy’n feirniadol iawn o fy mherfformiad fy hun.

“Roedd yn gystadleuaeth anodd iawn yn erbyn pedwar cogydd ifanc gwych arall. Roedd y dalent yn y gegin yn anhygoel. Mae arna i ddyled fawr i fy commis Jay a gamodd i mewn ar y funud olaf ac i Mam a Dad sydd wedi rhoi cefnogaeth anhygoel i mi.”

Abigail Williams, 16 oed, myfyriwr ar Gampws Nantgarw Coleg y Cymoedd ddaeth yn ail ac roedd Oliver Herrington, demi chef de partie yng Ngwesty’r Celtic Manor, Casnewydd, Katie Duffy, ail gogydd yn Llanelly House, Llanelli, a Falon Bailie, sous chef iau yn Foyles of Glasbury yn gydradd drydydd.

Falon enillodd y wobr am y cwrs gorau yn y rownd derfynol gyda’i gwrs cyntaf o gregyn bylchog o Gymru wedi’u casglu â llaw, blodfresych, pys, pwdin gwaed, pancetta, cnau cyll ac afalau.

Roedd Colin Gray, cadeirydd y beirniaid, yn llawn canmoliaeth i Stephanie am safon ei gwaith ac am ei hymroddiad i’r gystadleuaeth, ar ôl cael dim ond 12 diwrnod i greu bwydlen ac ymarfer.

Canmolodd y cogyddion i gyd am fod yn ddigon dewr i ymgeisio ac roedd ganddo glod arbennig i Abigail. “Fe wnaeth hi gystadlu heddiw’n ddim ond 16 oed ac rwy wedi fy syfrdanu o ddeall mai dim ond ers tri neu bedwar mis y mae’n coginio,” meddai. “Mae hi’n sicr yn un i gadw golwg arni.”

Cyhoeddwyd enwau’r enillwyr mewn cinio gwobrwyo yng Ngwesty’r Imperial, Llandudno neithiwr.