Welsh cooks win AAA award

The talented cooks are Aerona Davies, cook in charge at Aberystwyth Day Care Centre, Karen Freeman, cook at Llanilar Primary School, Susan Owens, cook at Ysgol y Dderi, Llangyby, near Lampeter and Mike Horwood, cook at Min-y-Mor residential home for the elderly in Aberaeron. The other chefs celebrating are Gerwyn Williams of Hotel Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, near Harlech, Lukasz Nowakowski, head chef at the Iota Restaurant, Cardiff, Sam Forbes, a commis chef at the Harboumaster Hotel, Aberaeron and Fiona Sylver and Amanda Webb from VT Training, Cardiff who are NVQ assessors. They received the award after passing professional cookery examinations at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru and Ystrad Mynach College during March. The examination was split into three parts: a three-and-a-half hour practical cookery test, an on-line knowledge test and a 20-minute interview. The AAA programme aims to drive up standards in the hospitality and catering industry in Wales by improving the skills of existing and aspiring chefs and cooks. The programme in Wales is fully funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and delivered by award-winning training provider Cambrian Training Company in partnership with Tourism Training for Wales. The Welsh candidates were joined by chefs from Ireland, Scotland and Holland at the examinations. Ruth Morris, AAA co-ordinator in Wales, congratulated all the candidates. "All nine candidates have worked exceedingly hard," she said. "Those that didn't pass did not disgrace themselves and I look forward to them taking the examination again." Delighted to achieve the Foundation Chef award, Aerona Davies, 45, is keen to progress to the next level. "The examination was a very good experience, as it was the first time that I had ever cooked under pressure with two top chefs watching and tasting my work," she said. The AAA programme aims to guide up to 180 chefs and cooks to achieve Applied Ability Awards at either Foundation or Chef level over the next two years through on-the-job training and mentorship followed by an independent practical exam. Learners are mentored by experienced chefs and cooks in their workplace and have access to an online virtual chef channel to support the learning in preparation for the exams.