A CHEF from Pembrokeshire is appearing in a fly-on-the-wall TV show that goes behind the scenes of the largest five-star hotel in Wales.

Hotel 24/7 documents a week at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, which recently hosted the 2014 NATO Summit.

The first episode of the series aired on BBC One Wales, at 7.30pm on Monday (September 8).

Simon Crockford, 32, appears in the show’s third instalment. Born and bred in Tenby, Simon is one of the resort’s eight Head Chefs, and has worked at the luxury destination for seven years.

“At first it felt a bit unnatural to have a film crew here, but as soon as service kicked in they just blended in to the background,” said Simon. “It will be quite interesting to watch. I’ve been told I’ve got a face for radio, so I don’t know how I’ll come across on TV. As long as I don’t come across like David Brent, it’ll be ok!”

After holding down jobs in various restaurants in his home town – including the Mews Bistro, under Andrew Swales – self-confessed food lover Simon attended Pembrokeshire College to train as a chef before landing a post at a small hotel in Cardiff.

“I wanted to do something bigger and better,” said Simon. “I started at Celtic Manor as a junior sous chef, and worked my way up through the ranks.”

Simon is one of the youngest Head Chefs at the resort, and runs the leisure part of the restaurant. He is the main man behind Celtic Manor’s innovative afternoon teas, which provide diners with a modern take on this deeply traditional concept.

Recognised for his catering excellence, Simon is also a member of the Welsh Culinary Team, which is heading to Luxembourg to compete in the World Culinary Cup later this year.

“Hopefully we’ll come back with a medal, but the main thing for me is being part of the team,” he said. “That’s a big achievement in itself, and I get to work with the best chefs around.”

Thanks to the rise of food-based programmes on TV, catering is becoming a more popular profession. But it’s a career which necessitates anti-social working hours and serious graft.

“Like most reality programmes, Hotel 24/7 shows how hard the job really is. But I’m not after sympathy. I love it, and I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else,” Simon explained.

“I get great support. I’m lucky to have good managers above me, and a good team below me.”

The successful chef says passion is the key to making great food, and if you have that, the rest will fall in to place.

“As long as you’ve got a love for the food, and you respect the food, everything else comes,” he said. “Every day is different and exciting. I’d recommend this career to everyone.”

* Hotel 24/7 will next be shown on Monday September 15 at 7.30pm.