Emily wins through to 2023 Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef grand final

A 19-year-old student chef from Coleg y Cymoedd has clinched a place in the grand final of the 2023 Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef of UK and Ireland competition after winning the Wales heat.

Emily Sellars received a bronze medals when winning the heat at the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC), organised by the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) at Grwp Llandrillo Menai’s campus in Rhos-on-Sea, last week.

She will now go through to the grand final on April 3, 2023 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where the finalists will compete for an exciting prize.

Emily cooked a Penclawdd cockle and soppressata risotto with parsley and walnut pesto, Caws Teifi and parmesan crisp.

Winner of the grand final will travel to Italy for a three-day stage with Fabio Pisani, Alessandro Negrini and their team at the two Michelin starred Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia in Milan, famous for its contemporary Italian cuisine.

The winner will also be taken on a tour of the Riso Gallo Rice Mill in Italy and have an opportunity to cook with a selection of excellent rice, cresses and oils from Riso Gallo, Filippo Berio and Koppert Cress.

The runner up will be invited to a three-day stage in the UK at a venue to be confirmed and they will cook with a selection of excellent rice, cresses and oils from Riso Gallo, Filippo Berio and Koppert Cress.

Riso Gallo, Europe’s premier grain specialists, has been supplying chefs around the world with the finest Italian grains for more than six generations.

Jacky Moss, who runs the Riso Gallo Young Risotto Chef competition, said she was delighted that Emily will be representing Wales in the grand final.

Arwyn Watkins, OBE, CAW president, said: “The Welsh International Culinary Championships is the perfect place for all culinary competitions in Wales to come together in one place.

“Emily will now go forward to represent Wales in the grand final at a fantastic venue with attractive prizes to be won.”