Sous chef at London's Ritz Hotel scoops gold at WorldSkills 2009

Adam Smith, sous chef at the Ritz Hotel in London, has scooped a gold medal at this year's WorldSkills event which was held in Calgary, Canada.

Other high fliers in the hospitality sector included Katie Watson, from the Gleneagles Hotel, who won bronze in the restaurant service category, while Alistair Birt from Thames Valley University picked up a medallion for excellence in the confectionary competition.

Other categories included painting and decorating, cabinet making, mechanical engineering, and plumbing and heating.

Simon Bartley, chief executive of UK Skills, which manages Team UK said: "What Team UK has achieved is outstanding.  They have all worked so hard to get to where they are and that has certainly paid off.  Once again we have shown that we have the very best young talent in our country.  It's a tremendous result not just for the competitors, but for their employers, trainers and colleges. 

"We hope to build on this success as we move towards the next WorldSkills Competition, which London will be hosting in 2011, where we hope to do even better. We are extremely proud of each and every one of them and can say that they are amongst the best in the world at their chosen skill.  I send my heartfelt congratulations to the whole Team and look forward to welcoming them back to the UK."

The UK's WorldSkills team is managed by UK Skills working in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and key partners from education, government and industry.  Brathay provide and support the training and development of Squad and Team UK. 

The competition took place from 1-7 September. A total of 900 young people from 46 different countries competed in the contest.

Words: Maria Bracken

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