A Masterchef: The Professionals quarter finalist will showcase his skills at this year’s Llangollen Food Festival.

Neil Robertson, 23, honed his cooking skills in the kitchens of an impressive range of top hotels in the UK and overseas before becoming sous chef at The Wild Pheasant Hotel and Spa in Llangollen last June.

He is among a collection of food and drink producers and experts from across North Wales and beyond who will be appearing at the Llangollen festival on Saturday, October 15.

At 16 he became an apprentice chef at Cardiff’s Marriott Hotel. After completing his training there Neil decided to specialise in fine dining. His next professional move took him across the world to Melbourne, Australia where he built on his experience by working in the kitchen of a hotel boasting three Michelin stars.

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Back in 2019, Neil reached the quarter finals of BBC’s Masterchef: The Professionals and was tasked with making the perfect Omelette Arnold Bennett early in the contest.

Returning to the UK after six months Down Under he became junior sous chef at the famous Albrighton Hall Hotel and Spa in Shrewsbury and then it was on to Nottingham to take on his first leading chef position at the city’s Lace Market Hotel.

This summer he joined the busy team at The Wild Pheasant.

When asked about appearing at the Llangollen Food Festival Neil said: “Although I haven’t been to the Llangollen Food Festival before I’ve heard lots about it as it’s known across the UK as a major event in the foodie calendar.      

“North Wales has some of the best produce in the world and Llangollen has it all in terms of its location and accessibility.

“At the festival I’ll be presenting a special dish prepared in a single pan featuring lovely fresh Welsh produce including Conwy mussels, a Penderyn whisky cream sauce, smoked pancetta served with lava bread butter on crispy sourdough bread.”

This year’s Food Festival will be coming from a variety of venues in the centre of Llangollen and is open to the public from 10am-5pm.

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