A new partnership has been formed to put on a "collaborative gourmet experience" at a tourism and hospitality awards ceremony in Pembrokeshire.
Visit Pembrokeshire, The Celtic Collection, and Pembrokeshire College are working together to make the 2026 Croeso Awards a special night at the college on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
The awards celebrate people, businesses, and experiences in the county's tourism and hospitality sector.
The partnership will see students get involved in the planning of the event to deliver the awards night alongside "some of Wales’s most talented hospitality professionals from The Celtic Collection".
Mentored by chefs from The Celtic Collection's Pembrokeshire restaurants, the students will design and prepare a three-course menu using local produce, from farm-fresh vegetables to foraged herbs.
The teams will be led by Simon Crockford, executive head chef at The Celtic Collection, who is also a former Pembrokeshire College student.
The event also provides a practical learning opportunity for the students, who will gain hands-on experience assisting front-of-house teams and event specialists.
Emma Thornton, chief executive of Visit Pembrokeshire, said: "The Croeso Awards have always been about celebrating the people and businesses that make Pembrokeshire such a vibrant, world-class destination.
"It’s a genuine collaboration, with professionals and students working side by side to showcase excellence while investing in the future of our industry.
"By connecting with the next generation, we’re nurturing skills, ambition and innovation that will keep Pembrokeshire at the forefront of Welsh tourism for years to come."
The awards night will see the presentation of honours across seventeen categories.
Alannah Simmons, head of faculty health, childcare & commercial enterprise at Pembrokeshire College, said: "For our students, the Croeso Awards offer more than a stage, they provide a career-defining experience.
"It’s an opportunity to learn, contribute and take pride in helping to represent Pembrokeshire’s thriving tourism and hospitality sector, inspiring them to build their own rewarding careers right here in the county."
Julie Hammond, chief executive of The Celtic Collection, said: "We are delighted to partner with Visit Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire College to celebrate the very best of hospitality and tourism at the Croeso Awards.
"This partnership underlines our commitment to nurturing Welsh talent and we are excited to offer students the unique opportunity to step into professional kitchens and see the real-time, real-life process behind an exceptional dining experience.
"They will be part of our chef and front-of-house teams, learning not only about culinary technique and food provenance, but also about teamwork, creativity and the precision that defines great hospitality."
The event reflects a growing emphasis on applied learning and the creation of local opportunities within the sector.
For more information about the awards, including how to enter and ways in which businesses can support the tourism industry by becoming category award sponsors, visit visitpembrokeshire.com/croeso-awards.
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