Restaurant run by college students scoops three national awards

A restaurant run by college students has been named Wales’ Restaurant of the Year.

The Scholars restaurant, which is based at the Coleg y Cymoedd campus in Ystrad Mynach, collected three prizes at the 2022 Food Awards Wales.

It was also named Restaurant of the Year for south east Wales, as well as Cookery School of the Year.

Fish Kitchen 1854, on Main Road, Maesycwmmer, were also winners on the night – winning the award for the Best Seafood Establishment.

The awards, which are run by Scottish marketing firm Creative Oceanic, are decided by a public vote, with the winners announced at a ceremony held at Cardiff City Stadium earlier this month.

Colrg y Cymoedd catering course tutor Stuart Davies told Caerphilly Observer: “We’re all chuffed. It’s a fantastic achievement and the students are over the moon.

“This is going to benefit them massively and will look good on their CVs that they’ve come from the best cookery school in Wales.”

He added: “This has been the result of a massive effort over the years. The catering department here will be 50 years old next year – there must be thousands of chefs who have come through here over the years.”

The restaurant has been given a facelift in recent months following a £3.6m refurbishment of the college’s catering and sports block.

Currently it has around 60 students, but lecturers are hopeful the revamp will allow them to bring through more budding chefs and caterers.

The college held a taster day on March 3 to celebrate the refurbishment and to showcase the work cooked up by the students.

Among the attendees were former Coleg y Cymoedd students Michael Coogan and Andrew Minto – the winners of Bake Off: The Professionals in 2021 – as well as Caerphilly Town Mayor Mike Prew.

A Spokesperson for The Food Awards Wales said: “These awards aim to thank those that work hard within the food industry and contribute to making Wales a great gastronomic place to visit.

“These people enhance the country’s reputation nationally and internationally, and we would like to make sure that the hard work of Wales’ food professionals doesn’t go unnoticed.”