A NEWPORT chef could be jetting off to Japan after being shortlisted for a coveted culinary prize in London.

David Scarpato, 26, of Beechwood, was selected for the finals of the Kikkoman Masters 2016 as Wales’ only entry, beating thousands other chefs to the spot.

On Monday, October 3, the chef will travel to the Olympia London hotel as part of the annual Restaurant Show, competing against nine other finalists to make a starter and main course with Kikkoman soy sauce.

As part of the cook-off, the former Celtic Manor chef will be scrutinised by a judging panel of top chefs - including Brian Turner OBE - and could receive a seven-day trip to Japan if victorious.

Speaking ahead of the cook-off, Mr Scarpato, sees the competition as a “benchmark for what the future brings".

“At the moment I’m just trying to perfect my starters and main courses as I have 90 minutes to cook them both on the day,” he said. “It is also going to be streamed live over the internet so it is all about making sure every item is perfect”.

The chef’s dishes include a starter of scallops with textures of beetroot and a Asian dashi and a main course of fillet of beef with soya glaze, celeriac puree, truffle mash and red wine sauce.

With an Italian-background, the aspiring chef’s road into cuisine was inspired by trips to the south of Italy as a child, where he was exposed to classic Italian foods and ingredients.

“I have great memories of going to southern Italy as a boy and I grew up on classic Italian cooking but before I became a chef I was working in a sweet factory," he said.

“When I was working there I saw an advert in a newspaper about a training apprenticeship at the Celtic Manor and I got it. I could barely poach an egg at the time but I think they saw something in me.”

Mr Scarpato currently works at the Vale of Glamorgan hotel regularly cooking for Wales’ football and rugby teams and hopes to open his own restaurant in Newport in the future.

He added: “My next step is to look at winning this competition and that is my focus. After that I want to compete in the Roux Scholarship and also plan to conquer Masterchef.

“Out of thousands of chefs I’m the only one to represent Wales to go through to the final but to go to Japan regardless, the prize is a chance of a lifetime.”