TUS student Charlie Ward has won a bronze medal and been named Ireland’s Best of Nation at the prestigious WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai.
The 22-year-old, from Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, secured third place in the Cookery competition with a score of 730 points, following four intense days of competition against some of the world’s leading young culinary talent.
Charlie was also named Best of Nation for Ireland, an honour presented to a competitor from each country.
Two other Team Ireland competitors who trained at TUS also won Medals of Excellence after scoring more than 700 points in their respective competitions: Kalem Redmond, from Headford, Co. Galway, in Automobile Technology, and Jack O’Keeffe, from Knockanure, Co. Kerry, in Industrial Mechanics.
An apprentice with Connolly Motor Group, Kalem completed part of his apprenticeship training at TUS and was subsequently nominated by the university for the WorldSkills Ireland National Competition, which he went on to win.
Jack, an apprentice with Kerry Mechanical Engineering, also completed part of his apprenticeship training at TUS before going on to represent Ireland in Shanghai.
The trio formed part of a 16-strong Team Ireland at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.
Over four days in Shanghai, Charlie was tested across a demanding range of culinary skills, including knife skills and butchery, bistro cooking and fine dining, as well as blind taste and smell assessments and an augmented reality challenge.
Among the dishes he prepared were roasted gnocchi with Parmesan sauce, red pepper chutney, basil and Parmesan foam; roasted fillet of beef with glazed lobster, pomme Lorette, turned asparagus and carrot, and lobster bisque; taro root ice cream with poached persimmon, persimmon caramel and pistachio biscuit; and a Parmesan sablé biscuit with mushroom ragù and pickle gel.
Charlie began gaining professional experience in kitchens from the age of 15 before going on to study a Level 7 Culinary Arts Degree and subsequently a Level 8 in Culinary Entrepreneurship at TUS’s Moylish Campus.
Charlie was runner-up in the Cookery competition at WorldSkills Ireland in 2024 and 2025, while earlier this year he collected six medals at IFEX Belfast, one of Ireland’s largest food, hospitality and culinary events.
Charlie, who is due to graduate later this month, said: “The main feeling throughout this whole journey has been gratitude. Without the support I have received over the last few months, none of this would have been possible.
“Representing my country, doing what I love, is a surreal feeling and one I will treasure for the rest of my life. WorldSkills highlights the possibilities and heights that can be reached through hard work, and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it.
“I want to thank WorldSkills Ireland Cookery Expert Alan McCabe for his unbelievable care, expertise and support; Skills Competitions Manager Sean Owens; my mam Majella and dad Brian; my girlfriend Clodagh; my TUS Culinary Arts lecturers Jim O’Meara and Eithne Gavigan, along with all my lecturers at TUS; and all of my friends. I also have to thank the amazing Team Ireland, who kept me going over the four days when the going got tough.”
Congratulating the three medalists, TUS President Professor Vincent Cunnane said: “Charlie, Kalem and Jack did themselves and TUS proud in Shanghai, competing with distinction against the very best young talent in the world.
Their success on the world stage is testament to their talent, skill and determination, and to the calibre of the students and apprentices at TUS.
“Success at this level is also a team effort. Our lecturers and colleagues at TUS, employers, families and many others have invested enormous time and effort in supporting these young people, and they too can take great pride in what has been achieved.”
TUS colleagues Greg Flynn, Alan McKeon, Dr Sean Lyons, Tony Mahon and David Sims were also in Shanghai for the event.
WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 brought together more than 1,400 competitors from nearly 70 countries and regions across 64 skills, with competition taking place over four days.