Cygnet Gin Co-Founder Katherine Jenkins Becomes Inaugural Ambassador for Culinary Association of Wales
Katherine Jenkins OBE is named the Culinary Association of Wales’s first ambassador. (Photo: CuraConn)
Welsh classical singer and Cygnet Gin co-founder Katherine Jenkins, OBE, has been appointed as the inaugural ambassador of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) in anticipation of Wales hosting a prestigious global event for chefs in 2026.
Jenkins, recognized as the U.K.’s most successful classical artist of the century, will play a pivotal role as the CAW gears up to welcome approximately 1,000 chefs from around the world to the Worldchefs Congress & Expo at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport in May 2026. The occasion will also mark the first time this major culinary event has been held in the U.K.
According to a press release, the CAW’s partnership with Jenkins also aims to spotlight Cygnet Gin, the sustainable spirit brand launched by the singer and her partner, Andrew Levitas. Cygnet Gin, now a CAW sponsor, will be featured in a new competition at the 2025 Welsh International Culinary Championships at ICC Wales in January, where chefs will be challenged to craft a three-course pescatarian and dairy-free menu showcasing the gin in each dish.
Jenkins and CAW President Arwyn Watkins, OBE, convened at ICC Wales on St. David’s Day to discuss details of the new partnership during a visit to ICC Wales on St. David’s Day.
“I’m so honoured to be an ambassador for the Culinary Association of Wales,” Jenkins shared, per the press release. “Across my career, I’m very, very proud of being Welsh and wherever I go, I always try to fly the flag for Wales. The Culinary Association of Wales being named as hosts for the biggest ever culinary event at the ICC Wales is incredibly exciting and important. When I heard that this was happening, I wanted to do all that I could to help support and amplify it, get behind it and cheer it on. So, if you love food like me, this is four days of food heaven. I can’t wait.”
“We are so lucky in Wales – we have so much to offer, and we can offer so much to the world. I think people coming here, to the Celtic Manor and to the ICC, they’re just going to be absolutely blown away by the hospitality, the warmth, the friendship, the welcome, and I hope it’s the start of a lovely relationship for people. I’m really excited to see how the journey progresses and to be here and witness it in 2026.”
The buildup to Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026 will commence later this year in Singapore, the host of the 2024 event, from Oct. 20 to 25. Watkins is expected to reveal exciting news about an anthem for the 2026 event during this time.
“It’s a huge coup and honour for the Culinary Association of Wales to secure Katherine as our ambassador for the Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2026,” Watkins added. “Being associated with such a global superstar is going to raise the profile of both the association and the event.
“We are looking forward to working closely with Katherine to promote Wales and Cygnet Gin to a global audience in the coming years.”
In her effort to challenge norms within the male-dominated spirits industry, Jenkins launched Cygnet Welsh Dry Gin in 2023. The inspiration for the venture came when she discovered the “lesser-known” spirit being crafted just six miles from her hometown in 2021. The flagship offering blends juniper, coriander, cardamom, angelica root, orris root, chamomile flower, citrus, licorice and almond. Following its initial success, the label expanded its range with Cygnet 22, which incorporates manuka honey, bee pollen, lemon balm, rose petals and white peppercorns.
Aligning with the 2024 Six Nations Championship, Cygnet Gin recently released its first ready-to-drink product, a canned gin and tonic.
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