June 04, 2026 - 165 views
A 17-year-old catering student from Coleg Menai has earned praise from one of Wales’ leading chefs after reaching the final of a prestigious cooking competition at this year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd.
Ruben Schlegel Evans, from the college’s Level 1 Catering course, was selected as one of just seven young chefs from across Wales to compete in the CogUrdd final on Anglesey.
Despite being the youngest and least experienced finalist, Ruben impressed judges with a menu inspired by both his Welsh and Swiss heritage.
The live competition challenged contestants to prepare a main course and dessert within two hours using a set list of ingredients. Competitors had to create a Welsh pork dish alongside potatoes, carrots and parsnips, followed by an apple-based dessert featuring both hot and cold elements.
After months of practice, Ruben chose to prepare a herb-crusted pork schnitzel using pork loin sourced from OG Owen butchers in Caernarfon.
“Going to OG Owen butchers to get good quality Welsh pork was very important for me,” said Ruben.
“When I spoke to the staff they were very helpful. They talked to me about my dish and I got some quality advice on getting an extra crispness and flavour on the schnitzel.”
He paired the schnitzel with a potato, carrot and parsnip gratin featuring a Swiss cheese sauce and used leftover vegetables to create a fresh coleslaw, demonstrating a commitment to reducing food waste.
His efforts drew high praise from head judge and renowned chef Chris Summers, who described Ruben’s creation as a “perfect gratin”.
“I was so pleased and inspired by his positive comments,” Ruben said.
For dessert, he created hand-crafted apple roses baked with apricot jam and cinnamon sugar, served with local Anglesey honey and hand-whipped vanilla cream. He even selected green and red striped Portmeirion plates to reflect the official colours of the Urdd.
Ruben said taking part in the competition had boosted his confidence and encouraged him to continue developing his culinary skills.
“I would strongly recommend anyone studying, even if you are at Level 1, to take part in competitions like this because you learn so much from those you compete against, as well as the feedback from a professional chef,” he said.
He also thanked his parents for supporting him throughout months of preparation.
“I would like to thank everyone who has been part of my journey in this competition, especially my mum and dad for eating and giving me feedback on so many pork dishes over the past months whilst I prepared and practised for the competition.”
Coleg Menai chef lecturer Iolo praised Ruben’s commitment and creativity.
“Ruben has enjoyed his year at Coleg Menai, learning the fundamentals of cooking,” he said.
“He is a diligent and ambitious learner who created an innovative menu reflecting both his Welsh and Swiss heritage while using local products and suppliers.
“I’m very proud of Ruben for representing Coleg Menai at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Ynys Môn so well. He received excellent feedback from Chef Chris Summers and I’m sure it was a worthwhile learning experience for him.”
Ruben will return to Coleg Menai in September to begin the Level 2 Professional Cookery course as he continues his journey towards a career in the hospitality industry.
