Sion Hughes (centre) and Calum Smith (left) with their mentor Graham Tinsley preparing to represent Wales in the Global Chefs Challenge.
Two talented Welsh chefs will be representing their home country and the UK when they take on the world’s best at the Global Chefs Challenge final in Singapore in October.
Wrexham-based Sion Hughes, 26, head chef at The Spa at Carden Park, near Chester, is teaming up again with Calum Smith, 23, pastry chef at Shrewsbury School, to fly the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) flag. Their mentor is Graham Tinsley, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa.
Former Junior Culinary Team Wales teammates, Sion and Calum won through to the global final after coming runners up with a silver medal in the competition’s North Europe heat, organised by Worldchefs, in Rimini, Italy last year.
The global final is being held at the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2024 in Singapore from October 20-25 and the Welsh pair will be competing on October 23. They will be competing against 19 chefs representing countries around world.
Sion and Calum have been practising under Graham’s watchful eye every Monday for months and their latest run through of the four course menu for 12 people went totally to plan.
The chefs will be cooking a vegan starter using Koppert Cress, a halibut fish course, three cuts of veal in the main course and Valrhona chocolate and Dilmah tea in the dessert.
“We are confident about the whole menu, having practiced every week since February and have now done as much as we can,” said Sion. “I think I’m the youngest finalist and excited to be representing Wales against the world’s best chefs.
“We are going there to enjoy the competition, to do our best and hopefully get a good result.”
He thanked Graham, Calum, the CAW and Carden Park for their support
Calum, who lives in Shrewsbury, added: “Sion has worked incredibly hard and is relishing the opportunity to represent Wales again. I am there to assist him.
“The dishes are clean and tasty and, if we can deliver what we have been working on, I think he has a good chance.”
Graham praised the work ethic of both young chefs. “They work really well together and the food they are producing is excellent,” he said. “This is a massive competition and it’s great achievement to reach the final.”
A former Junior Chef of Wales winner, Sion is no stranger to international competitions, having won silver and bronze medals with Junior Culinary Team Wales at the Culinary World Cup.
The Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2024 will end with the congress bell being presented to CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE. Wales will host the next congress and expo in May, 2026, the first time the event has been held in the UK.
