Iain Sampson scoops National Chef of Wales title

Sampson, 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 at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos on Sea yesterday. He won £2,000 prizemoney, a trophy and the honour of being crowned the best chef in Wales. The finalists faced the 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. The ingredients included some Wales True Taste award winning products. 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. Runner up was Chris Owen from the Castle Hotel, Conwy.