Welsh winner of FutureChef contest to compete in National Chef of Wales 2010

Sixteen-year-old Luke Thomas from Connah's Quay, who works at the Chester Grosvenor and Spa when not in school, will compete in the North Wales heat at Deeside College, Connah's Quay on November 20. Having already worked in London with celebrity chef Marcus Waring, his ambition is to become the youngest chef ever to earn a Michelin star. In the North Wales heat, he will be up against James Woodhams from Belle Vue Royal Hotel, Aberystwyth, Christopher Owen from Castle Hotel, Conwy, Kevin Williams from Dolserau Hall Country Hotel, Dolgellau and Steven Peck from We Three Loggerheads Restaurant, Gwernymynydd, Mold. All the chefs will be given three hours to devise and cook their own creative menu for a three-course dinner for four, including True Taste winning products. A panel of judges will select the best four chefs from the heats to compete in the final at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru on February 16, 2010. Winner of the contest, which is sponsored jointly by the Welsh Assembly Government and Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales, will receive £2,000 prize money, a trophy and the coveted National Chef of Wales title, while the runner up will go home with £1,000. The judging panel comprises Welsh National Culinary Team manager Graham Tinsley from the Castle Hotel, Conwy and Nant Hall, Prestatyn, Nick Davies, a director of Cambrian Training Company, Welshpool, Colin Gray of Celtic Cuisine, Cardiff and Welsh Culinary Association president Peter Jackson, co-owner of Hotel Maes-y-Neuadd, Talsarnau, Harlech. Thomas commented: "I am really looking forward to the heat but it will be a bit daunting being the youngest one there competing against older chefs, who have been in the industry for years. But it will be down to performs the best on the day."