Top young chef joins culinary stars at Royal Welsh Show

A college student from Tywyn got her chance to join a host of celebrity chefs at the Royal Welsh Show last week.

17-year-old Pippa Rollings, who won the top prize at Coleg Meirion Dwyfor’s culinary eisteddfod in March, was invited to take part in the renowned cooking demonstrations at the Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) stand, preparing her special lamb burgers with apricots, herbs and spices.

She initially learnt her trade at her parents’ fish and chip shop in Tywyn, and as well as being a promising chef Pippa is also active in her local Young Farmers’ Club and hockey team.

“The cooking demonstrations at the Show are a chance to give consumers ideas for how to use Welsh Lamb, Welsh Beef and pork in new ways,” said S4C cook and HCC Consumer Executive Elwen Roberts, who co-ordinated the cooking displays.

“We had a host of top chefs cooking on our stand this year, including Francesco Mazzei, Andi Oliver from Great British Menu, Masterchef’s Imran Nathoo and members of Wales’s senior and junior culinary teams,” she added.

“But it’s great to give promising young talent a chance too. Pippa clearly has excellent skills in the kitchen, and the audience loved her lamb burgers – which balanced the flavour of PGI Welsh Lamb expertly with a blend of herbs and spices. She clearly has a bright future!”