And it\u2019s in this role that he has been invited to head a special event bringing a taste of Britain and Wales to Vegas.<\/p>\n
Dai explained: \u201cI\u2019ve been asked to over to Las Vegas to lead the event showing off the best of British food to America.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be staged at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, which is right on the famous Strip, and there will be around 150 people in the audience who are all very influential and involved with the travel trade.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means the event will be the perfect opportunity to get the message across about the marvellous food we have here.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it\u2019s Las Vegas but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s any gamble at all going over there to show them what\u2019s great about British and Welsh food \u2013 with the ingredients I\u2019ll be using – some from Bodnant – it\u2019ll be a sure-fire certainty and I reckon I\u2019ll slot in very well!<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m extremely proud to have been chosen to represent Britain and I will be the main pivot of the whole thing which will last for six to eight hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be doing a food preparation demonstration and \u2013 just like I do at big food events at home like the Hamper Llangollen food festival in October \u2013 I\u2019ll work on camera while close-pictures of me working are shown on a big screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will be a dozen other head chefs from hotels allover Las Vegas working at preparation stations dotted around the big main room and the idea is for them to replicate what I\u2019m doing for groups of people gathered around them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important thing is that everyone will get to sample the dishes we prepare afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dai added: \u201cI\u2019m still working on exactly what I\u2019ll be showcasing but I\u2019m already sure it will be something that provides the perfect taste of the very best of Britain, Wales and Bodnant too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s because I\u2019ll be taking with me to Vegas as much produce from Bodnant as is practicablle on a 12-hour transatlantic flight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019ll definitely be starting with a fresh pineapple carved in the shape of a Welsh daffodil on a base of our Welsh cheeses, including Aberwen one of the smoked cheeses from Bodnant.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy main dish will be either a delicious cut of Welsh lamb or black beef served with mushrooms and flamed with Welsh whisky.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll round the whole thing off with a yoghurt laced with Welsh vodka, which should really set American taste buds tingling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done cookery demonstrations for many years across Wales, Britain and Europe, including all the big food festivals in Belgium, France and Germany, but this will be the first time I\u2019ve done anything like this in the States but I\u2019m very proud to be taking a taste of my country to Las Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Managing Director of Bodnant Chris Morton said: \u201cIt\u2019s a great testimony to Dai as an individual and to North Wales food preparation in general that he has been selected to head such a prestigious event.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an honour that\u2019s well deserved and will help cement the position of North Wales on the world\u2019s culinary map.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bodnant Welsh Food is located in a building dating from the 18th<\/sup> century which has been lovingly restored and includes a farm shop<\/a>, tea room<\/a>, restaurant<\/a>, cookery school<\/a> and farmhouse accommodation<\/a>.<\/p>\n The centre was officially opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in 2012.<\/p>\n Dai was born and raised in Aberystwyth and trained at a culinary college in Haverfordwest.<\/p>\n He gained his initial experience in the kitchens of some of the largest hotels in London\u2019s West End and by the age of 21 he was the youngest chef saucier \u2013 in charge of the creation of delicious sauces \u2013 at the world famous Carlton Club in St James\u2019s.<\/p>\n Later, Dai became head chef at the White Hart restaurant in Lewes, Sussex, and for a time was the personal chef of the owner of Simpson\u2019s in The Strand, which is based in the same building as the capital\u2019s iconic Savoy Hotel.<\/p>\n He then returned to Aberystwyth to run his own restaurant and during a 16-year period starting in the 1990s was head chef at the Bryn Howel Hotel in Llangollen, which is where in 1995 Dai had the unforgettable experience of cooking for Luciano Pavarotti when the legendary Italian tenor was staying there for his appearance at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.<\/p>\n In 1996, Dai captained the Welsh team at the Culinary Olympics when it won a bronze medal for its culinary skills, and soon afterwards he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.<\/p>\n After spell as a chef trainer \u2013 many of his pupils are now working in some of the world\u2019s finest restaurants \u2013 Dai took another hands-on role as chef director at the Ship Inn at Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey from where he came to Bodnant.<\/p>\n At the Hamper Llangollen food show last year he launched his new book, Let the Boy Cook<\/i>, which is a compilation of all his favourite recipes and has a very Welsh feel to it.<\/p>\n For more information about Bodnant Welsh Food, go to:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>http:\/\/www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk\/<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n![\"_MG_9859](\"http:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/files\/2014\/09\/MG_9859-ceidiog.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n