The Welsh executive chef and director of food and beverage at Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa in Wiltshire has spoken of his pride that three of his brigade have won the coveted National Chef of Wales title in the past six years.
Hywel Jones, who has held a Michelin star at Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park since 2006, was delighted when 24-year-old chef de partie Thomas Herbert became the latest of his chefs to win the title last month.
Herbert, who’s from Bridgend, beat four rivals to become National Chef of Wales at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC), organised by the Culinary Association of Wales at Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s campus in Rhos-on-Sea.
With Jones’ full support, he now goes on to represent Wales in the Northern European heat of the Worldchefs Global Chefs Challenge, the date of which has not yet been announced.
Herbert follows in the footsteps of Ben Taylor and Thomas Westerland who won the National Chef of Wales final in 2016 and 2018 respectively whilst working at Lucknam Park. Taylor still works at the luxury hotel and spa near Chippenham whilst Westerland is now senior head chef at Crockers Henley, Henley-on-Thames.
“Out of the three of them, I am most chuffed for Thomas, only because Ben Taylor and Tom Westerland were a bit more established and confident,” said Jones.
“Thomas is quiet and unassuming and needs to believe in himself more because he doesn’t realise how good he is.
“To go and perform in the National Chef of Wales final like he did will do him the world of good. Once he is in the zone and knows what he’s doing, he’s very good.
“He was back in work on Saturday and you wouldn’t know he had won the competition.”
Jones revealed that he had always wanted to enter the National Chef of Wales competition himself when working in London, but the old rules meant that he had to be working in Wales. The rules now include Welsh chefs working outside of Wales.
“I judged the competition for years and I asked the Culinary Association of Wales ‘Are you looking for the best chef in Wales or the best Welsh chef? You won’t meet anyone prouder to be Welsh than me.
“When they changed the rules, I had to ensure that one of our Welsh chefs entered. We have a stream of them here because of our close proximity to Wales. Out of my current brigade of 19 chefs, six are Welsh and I have another one starting soon.”
Jones joined Lucknam Park as head chef 19 years ago and was promoted to director of food and beverage about three years ago, although he continues to enjoy cooking in his restaurant there.
He revealed that he had told Herbert to keep an eye out for Andrew Tabberner, co-owner of the Gaerwen Arms, Gaerwen, Anglesey, in the final.
Jones was a judge when Tabberner won the Junior Chef of Wales final in 2015.
As for the secret of grooming so many winning chefs, Jones said: “It’s a good kitchen to work in and everything is done the proper way. We enter a lot of competitions and it’s about choosing the right chef for the right competition.
“I remember from when I did competitions, you learn so much about yourself. It’s about encouraging them to enter competitions and then supporting them through the process and ensuring that they have time off to practice their dishes.”
He pledged 100 percent support for Herbert in the Global Chef Challenge competition and if he’s invited to join the Culinary Team Wales, which flies the Welsh flag in competitions around the globe.
“Anything he needs from me, he will have the support of myself and the other chefs because it’s a team effort,” added Jones.
“I was very fortunate when I came into the industry in having some good mentors, including David Nicholls. I still call him for advice now and then.”
Herbert, whose dream is to return to Wales to open his own restaurant in the future, is grateful for Jones’ support and guidance.
“Being the third chef from Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa to win the National Chef of Wales title shows that Hywel Jones is putting his time into us and producing a great calibre of chef,” he said.
“I owe this win to him and also to my commis chef Jamaar Semper who helped me in the final.”
Main sponsor of the WICC was Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Government’s department representing the food and drink industry.
Other sponsors were Castle Howell, Churchill, Major International, Riso Gallo, Dick Knives, MCS Tech Products, Hybu Cig Cymru/ Meat Promotion Wales, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, Cambrian Training Company, Roller Grill and Ecolab.
