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Chef and Waiter of the Year found and celebrated at Foodexpo
arrow_backTo the overview14 April 2026
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The country’s top chefs and waiters competed on the opening day of Foodexpo, which also featured competitions such as Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef and the Danish Championship in Mocktails. Overall, the food industry’s central meeting place offered a lively first day packed with meetings, people, new developments, and a great atmosphere. Foodexpo takes place at MCH Messecenter Herning from March 22–24, 2026
The country’s top chefs and waiters competed on the opening day of Foodexpo, which also featured competitions such as Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef and the Danish Championship in Mocktails. Overall, the central meeting place for the food industry offered a lively first day packed with meetings, people, new developments, and a great atmosphere. Foodexpo takes place at MCH Messecenter Herning from March 22–24, 2026.
The atmosphere reached a boiling point on Sunday afternoon when Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year were to be announced at Foodexpo in MCH Messecenter Herning.
Throughout the day, the nation’s strongest contenders in both disciplines demonstrated their skills in front of a prominent jury, and with Timm Vladimir as host, it was now time to reveal who would take home the prestigious titles.
Chef of the Year was awarded to Lucas Juhl Nielsen from Treetop Restaurant near Vejle, who shared a few words about the triumph afterward:
“I’m completely overwhelmed—I can hardly feel my emotions. It has been a perfect day, and it’s absolutely insane that I’ve gone all the way—it’s wild, wild, wild. I’ve been up against some incredibly skilled people, so I’ve really had to perform at my absolute best, and for that reason, I’ve learned a tremendous amount from the entire process.”
Waiter of the Year was awarded to Oskar Mathiassen from Atelier 33 and Bouchon in Aarhus, who also struggled to contain his excitement:
“It has been a long process that has now culminated and unfolded just as I had hoped, so I’m naturally very happy. It may seem a bit strange to people outside the restaurant industry that we train so much for something like this, but for us, it’s a life’s work of great importance. It has required hard work to get here, but hopefully the whole process has strengthened me as a person.”
Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year were organized by HORESTA in collaboration with 3F.
More competition winners
The opening day also featured Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef and the Danish Championship in Mocktails. The former was won by Allan Colding-Andersen from Bodenhoff Bakery, while Sophie Jacobsen from Lego Campus won the latter.
Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef was organized by BKD (The Danish Bakers’ and Confectioners’ Association) in collaboration with the Danish Food Workers’ Union NNF, while Mixology International organized the Danish Championship in Mocktails.
On Monday, the following competitions are on the program: Denmark’s Best Baker, the Danish Cocktail Championships, Green Chef International, Green Canteen Menu of the Year, Student Competitions of the Year, and Denmark’s Best Cheese Delicacies.
New concept unveiled
While the many prestigious competitions are a key part of Foodexpo, the exhibition generally targets professionals working with food who want insight into the future of the food industry. It brings together everyone from head chefs, catering companies, and canteen staff to wholesalers, suppliers, and industry organizations.
In this way, the exhibition forms a foundation where stakeholders across the industry network, exchange ideas, and share knowledge and experience. With a rich program of activities, it offers new insights, and not least through its more than 450 exhibitors, it serves up a continuous stream of flavorful experiences.
Attendance was strong on the opening day, with a vibrant trade fair atmosphere across all halls, and visitors had their first opportunity to experience the exhibition’s new concept. This includes 15 themed zones, each representing a professional community and making it easier for visitors to navigate the venue.
Foodexpo takes place at MCH Messecenter Herning from March 22–24, 2026.
Foodexpo is organized by MCH Messecenter Herning and developed in collaboration with 13 industry associations and organizations: BFS – The Association for Large Kitchen Equipment, BKC – The Association for Coffee and Convenience Solutions, BKD – Danish Bakers and Confectioners, Danish Fishmongers, The Danish Grocers’ Association, DSM – Danish Butchers, The Association for Canteen and Kitchen, FødevareDanmark, The Food Club, HORESTA, The Danish Diet and Nutrition Association, and MLDK – The Danish Brand Manufacturers and Local Shop Association.
Competition winners at Foodexpo, March 22, 2026
Chef of the Year – Lucas Juhl Nielsen, Treetop Restaurant
Waiter of the Year – Oskar Mathiassen, Atelier 33 and Bouchon
Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef – Allan Colding-Andersen, Bodenhoff Bakery
Danish Champion in Mocktails – Sophie Jacobsen, Lego Campus
