Coleg y Cymoedd catering school wins national award for second year running

The 6th Food Awards Wales 2023 has announced its winners, celebrating the best of the country’s food industry.

The awards ceremony, held on Monday 26th June at The Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel, recognised and rewarded the talent and hard work of the Welsh food industry, highlighting the best restaurants, takeaways, pubs, cafes, and producers.

The winners were selected based on the votes of the public, who nominated their favourite establishments across various categories, including Restaurant of the Year, Gastro Pub of the Year, Chef of the Year and Best Street Food amongst others.

The Awards aimed to recognise excellence across various categories, showcase the best food establishment that Wales has to offer and promote the country’s industry, celebrating its diversity and quality.

Scholar’s Restaurant at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Ystrad Mynach campus was one of the finalists in the Cookery School of the Year category. The competition was fierce but they received the recognition and took the trophy home.

Head of Hair, Beauty, Hospitality and Catering at Coleg y Cymoedd, Hayley Hunt spoke of the win: “It is incredibly rare to pick up the Best Cookery School in Wales Award two years in a row, so we’re delighted with the success. It is a testament to the hard work of our students and dedicated staff, all of whom held leading positions in the industry in their own right.”

Known for the incredible success of its learners who have placed first and third in the Young Pastry Chef of the Year Awards in the last two years, as well as having reached the finals of Young Restaurant Team of the Year competition at the Gordon Ramsay Academy, Catering courses at Coleg y Cymoedd attract the best aspiring young chefs in Wales.

Their impressive list of alumni features, Michael Coggan and Andrew Minto, who went onto win Channel 4’s Bake Off – The Professionals, and their four training restaurants across Rhondda Cynon Taff and Caerphilly hold perfect five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.

The win tops a fantastic year for Catering at the college’s Ystrad Mynach campus, as they celebrate their fifty-year anniversary in 2023. Lecturer in Professional Cookery, Stuart Davies, commented: “As soon as the students walk through our doors we’re preparing them for a career in the industry.

In the last year alone, over £2 million has been spent improving Scholar’s restaurant and Ystrad Mynach catering facilities, to ensure the next generation of Hospitality and Catering learners experience the best and follow in the footsteps of former learners who have gone to secure jobs at the UK’s top bars and restaurants, some of whom have set up successful catering businesses of their own.”

A Spokesperson for The Food Awards Wales 2023 said: “We received an overwhelming response from the public, who nominated some fantastic establishments across the region.

“These awards are a testament to the passion and dedication of the country’s food industry, and the hard work of those who provide exceptional culinary experiences to their customers. The winners should be proud of their achievement, as they represent the very best of the Welsh food scene, and are a true reflection of the quality and diversity of the industry.

“Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists, who have demonstrated excellence in their respective categories.”

To register your interest to study Professional Cookery at Wales’ best Cookery School, visit: www.cymoedd.ac.uk

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