TWO chefs from south Pembrokeshire will be flying the flag for Wales next week in a culinary contest against England and Scotland.

Simon Crockford from Tenby and Karl Jones-Hughes from Narberth as been named as members of the Welsh team which will take part in the Battle for the Dragon contest at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC).

Both work at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport,where Simon is head chef and Karl is executive pastry chef.

Each team has to cook a three-course menu for 85 diners in the competition being staged at Coleg Llandrillo, Rhos-on-Sea, Colwyn Bay.

Wales will lead off the challenge next Tuesday, serving up a starter of air dried ham-wrapped monkfish, smoked haddock kiev with chilli and laverbread, butter parsley and bone marrow custard, beetroot and walnut soil, horseradish mousse and pickled apple.

Main course is roasted Welsh lamb rump with toasted barley and thyme, leek, potato and lamb pastry, glazed vegetables and craft beer jus. Dessert is chocolate, raspberry and coconut dark chocolate and ginger cake truffle, coconut mallow, iced raspberry air, warm raspberry sponge and caramel wafer.

The six-strong Welsh team is captained for the first time by award-winning North Wales chef Danny Burke who was the first to win both the Junior and National Chef of Wales titles in consecutive years, and managed by Peter Fuchs, culinary director at the Celtic Manor Resort.

Said Danny: “It’s the start of a new chapter for the team under a new manager and I am pleased to be part of that.

“Practices have gone well, everyone is pulling together and working hard and there is a good team spirit as the chefs really want to be part of the Welsh squad.”