A local chef will be putting his culinary prowess to the test later this year as he has been invited to compete in a prestigious national competition.

Coleg Ceredigion lecturer Sam Everton has been selected as one of semi-finalists in the Craft Guild of Chef’s prestigious UK-wide Young National Chef competition, 2024.

Sam, who is a lecturer in professional cookery and an award-winning chef, will be competing against 26 other culinary experts from across the UK including those representing the Savoy, the House of Commons and The Dorchester.

Representing Coleg Ceredigion, he will be tasked with creating a three-course menu for an elegant lunch.

Competitors will produce a starter of a filled vegetarian agnolotti pasta dish with a foraged or locally sourced ingredient.

The main course will showcase Norwegian halibut with a butter-based sauce and desert consists of an interpretation of a filled choux desert with fruit and a seasonal fruit puree.

Chair of judges, Russell Bateman who is head chef at the Falcon Hotel in Castle Ashby, said: “I wanted to take the young chefs back to basics so we can really assess their skills and creativity.

“They will need to think about ingredient choices, seasonality, flavours, balance, and showcasing strong techniques.

“This is their opportunity to show the judges who they are as a chef when they step away from their workplace and we can’t wait to see their individual culinary style, personality and talent laid out on the plate.”

Sam, from Cilgerran, previously worked at Crwst and is currently a part-time junior sous chef Y Seler in Aberaeron.

He is a seasoned competitor, winning the 2024 Junior Chef of Wales in February and the 2023 Best Young Chef in Wales at the Young Chef Young Waiter competition.

Sam then represented Wales at the grand final in Monaco where he and his partner Carys, won third best country in the world.

As well as this he won Young Welsh Chef of the Year in 2017, Best British Chef (Under 22) in 2018-2019, and represented Britain across the world in places such as Australia, Finland, China, Sweden and Dubai and being named fifth best young chef in the world at a WorldSkills competition in Russia.

Entry into Young National Chef of the Year is by invitation only which makes this selection an even more prestigious honour.

“I was thrilled when I discovered I’d been shortlisted and invited to compete at this industry-renowned competition,” said Sam.

“This event firmly establishes a chef as a rising star of the culinary world both in the UK and beyond and is a highly sought-after experience by those working in the industry.

“I feel honoured and excited to be invited and I will soon be planning my own interpretation to fit the menu brief.”