Welsh chefs get set for NEC Showdown

Welsh team manager Graham Tinsley, executive chef at Carden Park Country Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa near Chester, said: "There is no bigger rivalry than competing against England and Scotland because national pride is at stake. "England has only just come back on the scene, having been away for a long time. There is no doubt going to be a bit of rivalry with the English chefs and it has added extra spice to the international recipe." The changes to this year's line up consists of Chris Owen from the Castle Hotel, Conwy, Dion Jones from at Carden Park Country Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa and Brian Henry, cluster director of food and beverage for the Millennium Gloucester and Baileys Hotels as well as the Millennium Conference Centre in London. They join Nick Davies, a director of Cambrian Training Company, Welshpool, Toby Beevers, executive chef at Chester University and David Kelman from Cheltenham. The three teams are challenged to cook a three course meal for 100 people in five hours, with England competing on Monday, Scotland on Tuesday and Wales on Wednesday. Hospitality is followed by the Battle for the Dragon at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru, Rhos-on-Sea from February 23-25. Wales will be competing against national teams for Switzerland and Finland in a hot kitchen contest over three days. In both competitions, the Welsh chefs will be tweaking the menu that brought them success at the Culinary World Cup. It comprises a starter of roulade of lemon sole and scallop, salmon fillet with crabmeat, vegetable and golden raisin salsa, samphire cress, parsleyt and crème fraiche dressing. The main course is pan-roasted breast and confit leg of Madgetts Farm duckling, butter braised potato, vegetables a le Grecque, butternut squash and orange puree and duck sauce with truffle. Dessert is Belgian milk chocolate mocha mousse, raspberry, chocolate, pistachio and coffee layered cake, warm raspberry and Sauternes jelly.