Trewythen's story

Jamie Tully, Executive Head Chef

Jamie has swapped serving ceviche and scallops as personal chef to the King of Dubai, for mentoring up and coming talent close to his hometown of Builth Wells.

Jamie explains: “We’re slightly different as we’re a Training Academy. Cambrian Training offers apprenticeships and has a great ethos of training people across different industries – mainly hospitality and in kitchens, doing butchery or similar skills.

“We have our own ambitions and goals here as a normal business and restaurant, but apprentices are integral to that.”

Jamie is currently mentoring three apprentices - two on Level 2 and one Level 3 - and is a great advocate for Cambrian Training’s approach.

He says: “We try to promote within the business and have a Chef de Partie who began as an apprentice and two trainee chefs who joined as pot washers who are now on a full-time apprenticeship scheme.

“They work six hours a day or 40 hours a week, so not quite normal chef-ing, but still regular hours.

“What they’re meant to cover in a year, we’ve condensed into two months. We make everything 100% homemade so all pastas and the breads and we do our own butchery and fish cuttery.”

Jamie and his enthusiastic young team enjoy creating dishes from local, seasonal ingredients and Jamie’s time working on super yachts are evident in his adventurous menus.

He said: “I feel fortunate that Hospitality has given me a career where I can travel all over the world. I’ve cooked for some of the wealthiest people on the planet and have been places people don’t always get to go.

“I like to use influences of world foods in my dishes, but ultimately using Welsh ingredients and supporting Welsh farmers and local suppliers is my passion and something we’re trying to teach the next generation of chefs, to look after the locals.”

Lesia Hudzovska, Hotel Assistant

Ukranian Lesia joined the Trewythen team in October 2022, after moving to the UK when war broke out in her hometown of Kyiv.

She is completing a Foundation apprenticeship in Hospitality Services through Cambrian Training and her duties as a Hotel Assistant incorporate serving in the hotel’s coffee bar, laying tables, serving at lunch and dinner time, greeting guests, helping with checking-in and cleaning.

It's a big change from her previous career in Banking and Finance, but one she enjoys. She says: “I really like it, because I like working with people and I like to make people feel a bit happier. They also make me feel happy.

“The staff are really friendly. They were friendly from the first day I came. So, I always feel supported by them.

“I feel like the people who work here really like their job and they really do their best to make it comfortable for guests.”

Llanidloes has become a special place for Lesia too. “I really like Llanidloes as a town, and this ancient building, because in the Ukraine we haven’t got so many old buildings.

“The town is quite touristy, especially in summer, so we expect a lot of tourists, a lot of people here. Many rooms are booked already, so we will be busy and have fun.

“Wales is a fantastic place – you can see rivers, lakes, do walking, ride horses. It’s fantastic.”

Catherine Isaac, Front of House Assistant

Catherine enjoys the variety of her part time role front of house and splits her working week so works part time between The Trewythen and Cambrian Training.

She says: “Hospitality is a great option for anyone looking for part-time hours. It works really well with my lifestyle and I really enjoy the variety here compared with my other role in Finance. “I enjoy it, but it can be a bit dry, which is something The hotel definitely isn’t!

“On my days at the hotel, I can come in to serve breakfast and finish my day at 3pm, which suits me.”

Catherine has made friends for life through Hospitality and enjoys the team ethic at the hotel.

She says: “Hospitality is a sociable job – you are friends with the people you work with. We’re a fantastic team here. And I also love meeting and talking with new people.

“Locals have also started coming in to eat at the restaurant too. So I meet lots of people, which I really like. That and the flexibility make it the ideal job for me.”