Eight representatives of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) travelled to London to prepare savoury and sweet canapés for guests. The sweet canapés were lemon Welsh gin and tonic macaroon and Welsh cake with strawberry jel along with Welsh clotted cream. 

The savoury canapés included cured salmon Welsh gin, compressed cucumber, lime jel, served in a savoury cone; mini whipped Pembroke potato shepherd’s pie, Welsh rarebit served on onion bread with local beetroot chutney and Glamorgan bon bon, leek, smoked paprika beignet and wild garlic mayo.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins said: “I met Boris at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair where I impressed upon him the importance of securing a skilled workforce for the future of the Welsh hospitality and food and drink industries.

“I said if he was elected, I would remind him about the question when I delivered the St David’s Day reception at Ten Downing Street with a Culinary Association of Wales team. 

“When, he saw me, he remembered the conversation and had a big smile on his face. He agreed that a skilled workforce was an important issue that needed to be addressed. It was a hugely successful day and our food was warmly praised.”

The eight members of the CAW team included:

• Michael Bates executive head chef at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
• Arwyn Watkins, OBE.
• Vicky   Watkins CAW office manager. 
• Gavin Mc Donagh, head chef at ICC Wales, Newport. 
• Nick Davies, Senior Culinary Team Wales manager. 
• Calum Smith from The Lion and Pheasant, Shrewsbury and captain of Junior Culinary Team Wales
• Lara Walker from the Celtic Manor Resort. 
• Glenn Lewis, the Celtic Manor Resort’s food and beverage director.

Bates added: “Everything went like clockwork and we had some really great feedback about the canapés. We tried to use as many Welsh products as possible and it paid off.”