Open until 30 September, entrants must submit their own creative menus to CAW online via http://www.welshculinaryassociation.com/index.php/competitions/.

The guidelines for this year’s contests are as below:  

• National Chef of Wales: a vegan starter; main course using two different cuts of Welsh Beef; and a dessert using chocolate as the main ingredient
• Junior Chef of Wales: a vegan starter; main course using Welsh Lamb; and a dessert including Welsh honey

Judges will then select regional finalists who will be given three hours to serve a four cover, three-course dinner in November. The winners and highest-scoring runners up will go through to the live finals, taking place at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) in February.

CAW president Arwyn Watkins, said: “The WICC provides the perfect platform for the best Welsh chefs to showcase their talent and skills in a range of culinary competitions.

“This year, the National and Junior Chef of Wales winners set very high standards which we hope will be maintained or even surpassed in 2019.

“The competitions are open to all Welsh chefs whether they work or study within or outside of Wales.”

Both the National and Junior Chef of Wales 2019 will be invited to a study tour hosted by Koppert Cress in the Netherlands, as well as set of engraved F. Dick knives.

The reigning junior champion will also be seeded through to the semi-finals of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Young National Chef of the Year contest.