Joseph to the fly culinary flag for Wales; Youngster from Porthcawl to compete in global competition in Chile
0 Comments | South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales), Jan 22, 2010
Byline: Kathryn Williams
A SOUTH Wales pub chef is to represent the nation at a world-wide cooking competition in South America. Joseph Jones, 23, from Porthcawl, is jetting off to the capital of Chile, Santiago, today to cook off against 15 other young chefs from around the world.
The former Bridgend College student, who learned the tricks of the trade at top South Wales diner Coast, was preparing for his flight yesterday.
He said: “I’m really excited but also nervous about the competition, which is the biggest challenge of my life.
“I’ve been busy researching Chilean ingredients and looking at as many recipes as possible to give myself different options. I love to try new things but I’ll also try to work in recipes that I’m used to cooking.
“They seem to have similar ingredients to ours in Chile, although the majority of the fish are different.
“Hopefully, there will be a few seminars before the competition, so that I can learn about the ingredients.”
Joseph was invited to the competition because he won the Young Welsh Chef of the Year competition in 2008.
It is one of the flagship contests organised by the World Association of Chefs Societies’ World Congress in memory of former society president Hans Bueschkens.
As part of the competition, he will have to create a three-course meal for eight customers in three-and-a-half hours. He is being mentored by Welsh Culinary Association president Peter Jackson.
Joseph added: “I am looking forward to doing my best and it means a lot to be representing Wales.
“Having someone of Peter Jackson’s experience as my mentor is going to be a great help. Hopefully, the competition will help me to develop my career, as I would like to move back into the restaurant trade in 2010.”
The talented Welsh chef hopes that the Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge could be his stepping stone to his dreams.
“It’s my plan to one day get my own restaurant,” he said.
Former WACS president Hans Bueschkens used his presidency of the society to encourage young chefs to develop their culinary skills
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