Chefs president triumphs at Welsh Veterans Awards

Culinary Association of Wales Culinary Association of Wales

Culinary Association of Wales

Premium Supplier 7th July 2023
Culinary Association of Wales Culinary Association of Wales

Chefs president triumphs at Welsh Veterans Awards

Culinary Association of Wales president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, has added another award to his growing list of honours. 


 He won the Leader of the Year Award, sponsored by Veteran Trees, at this year’s Welsh Veterans Awards and was runner-up in Entrepreneur of the Year Award, sponsored by Pinnacle Document Solutions Group. 

 The award was in recognition of Arwyn’s role as CAW president in leading the successful Team Wales bid to bring the Worldchefs Congress and Expo to the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales), Newport in 2026. 

 “The award was unexpected and it’s a great honour to win in such a strong category,” he said. “I do the voluntary job with the Culinary Association of Wales without thinking of accolades, but it’s nice to be recognised.

 “Many people wouldn’t know that I am a veteran and it’s only in recent years that I have reconnected with the veterans community. It’s turning out to be memorable year, as I have been selected as one of 50 veterans from the Army Catering Corps for the Cenotaph March Past on Remembrance Sunday this year.” 

 Passionate about developing chefs in Wales, Arwyn coached the Welsh Junior Culinary Team to a Culinary Olympics gold medal in 2004 and was appointed CAW president in 2015.

 Three years later, he received the Worldchefs Presidents Medal for promoting the advancement and profile of the culinary arts and profession in Wales. 

 Arwyn is group executive chairman of Cambrian Training Company, Trailhead Fine Foods and Mid Wales Fayres, all based in Welshpool and Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen in Llanidloes.

 A farmer’s son from Llanwrtyd Wells, joined the Army as an apprentice chef in 1978 and has maintained his commitment to apprenticeship programmes ever since. 

 On leaving the Army in 1992, he joined the Merchant Navy, working for Stena Line and became a catering college lecturer in Kent before returning to Mid Wales to join Cambrian Training Company in 1998.

 In 2002, he led a management buy-out of the company which has enjoyed considerable growth and success under his leadership. 

He is a key figure in the work-based learning sector in Wales, having previously served as chairman and chief executive and currently as a board member of the National Training Federation for Wales. 

 In the New Year’s Honours List in 2018, he received an OBE for his services to education and training in Wales. 

 Picture captions:

Arwyn Watkins, OBE, receives the Leader of the Year award from Brigadier Nick Thomas, CBE, from sponsor Veteran Trees, at the Welsh Veterans Awards.

Method

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall  – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.