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Welsh Lamb at the heart of success for Wales' top chef
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19/02/10
Brecon chef Iain Sampson is celebrating after winning the coveted National Chef of Wales title.
Sampson, 42, head chef at Peterstone Court Country House Restaurant and Spa, Llanhamlach, won a closely contested final cook-off against three rivals on the first day of the Welsh International Culinary Championships sponsored by Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea.
He collected £2,000 prizemoney, a trophy and the honour of being crowned the best chef in Wales for his menu which included a main dish of Welsh Lamb. He plans to spend the money on his wedding and honeymoon in August and partner Amanda Williams, 38, was there to celebrate his success.
"I am just really chuffed," said Sampson, who began his cooking career at the Ritz in London. "It's a great hour to become National Chef of Wales. I have done a lot of competitions in the past but haven't competed for 10 years. It was almost the last chance for me at the age of 42."
He said he was looking forward to his wedding on August 18 followed by a honeymoon.
Runner up Chris Owen, 23, from the Castle Hotel, Conwy, went home with £1,000 after narrowly failing to add the senior title to the Junior Chef of Wales crown that he won in 2007.
The judges said only a couple of points separated the top two, with Sampson collecting a gold medal, Owen a silver and the other two finalists, Luke Thomas, a 16-year-old winner of the 2009 FutureChef competition, and Jim Hamilton, 35, from Fairyhill Hotel, Reynoldston, Gower, Swansea, awarded bronze medals.
The bi-annual contest, sponsored jointly by HCC and the Welsh Assembly Government, is organised by the Welsh Culinary Association. The finalists faced the ultimate challenge of devising and cooking a menu for a four-course dinner for four in three hours from a mystery black box of ingredients, which they saw only the night before the contest.
Sampson's winning menu opened with a starter of galantine of guinea fowl with pancetta, artichoke and mushroom followed by fennel and saffron soup with red mullet. Main course was cutlet, shoulder and kidney of Welsh Lamb with potato puree and confit of root vegetables. Dessert was dark chocolate fondant with banana and ginger ice cream and passion fruit syrup.