Pembrokeshire chef in running to be crowned best in Wales

The chef of a Pembrokeshire restaurant has impressed at a national culinary competition.

Sam Rust, who works at The Grove in Narberth, was one of 10 chefs praised for the quality of their dishes in the National Chef of Wales final.

The event was held at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) on Monday.

The finalists were given three hours to cook three courses for 12 diners, featuring GI Welsh ingredients and Cygnet Gin.

The menu had to 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.

Mr Rust's starter was fermented cashew ravioli, PGI leek, celeriac skin dashi, wild rice with Cygnet Gin, and soy glazed celeriac skewer.

His main course was PGI Welsh Beef fillet, parsnip, sauerkraut, peppercorns, PGI chuck beef burger with PGI Caerphilly cheese.

For dessert, he served Mayan chocolate espuma, PGI Penderyn Rich Oak, peanuts, barbecued banana, and passion fruit.

The chefs must wait until the awards ceremony on Wednesday night to find out who has won.

Colin Gray, chairman of the WICC judging panel, said: "This competition is certainly gathering momentum, as we had more finalists than ever this year.

"It’s becoming iconic on the Welsh culinary calendar.

"There were high standards throughout and some standout dishes.

"We hope to have found a chef to represent us in the Global Chef Challenge at next year’s Worldchefs Congress & Expo, which is being held in Wales and the UK for the first time."

The WICC, organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), is being hosted by the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport.

The event finishes with an awards dinner and ceremony on Wednesday night.

The National Chef of Wales competition is part of the WICC, which also includes the Welsh Apprentice Butcher of the Year final, the Junior Chef of Wales final, and the Vegan Chef of Wales final.

The WICC is open free of charge to visitors, including pupils of local schools, and this year combines the Castell Howell Welsh Food and Drink Show.

Sponsors of the WICC include Castell Howell, Cambrian Training Company, Roller Grill UK, MCS Technical Products, Capital Cuisine, Churchill, Cygnet Gin, Henley Bridge, Food and Drink Wales, Kentaur, City & Guilds UK, Essential Cuisine, Ecolab, Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales, Terry’s Patisserie Ltd, Willo Game, Fresh & Tasty Microgreens, Radnor Hills, Robot Coupe, and Friedr Dick GmbH & Co.