Foodexpo presents a wide range of prestigious professional competitions

26 February 2026

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Established stars as well as the talents of the future will showcase their skills at Foodexpo, which – among many other professional competitions – presents Chef of the Year, Waiter of the Year, Danish Championships for apprentices, and Green Chef International. The largest food fair in the Nordic region takes place at MCH Messecenter Herning on 22–24 March 2026.

Talent development, professionalism and recruitment take center stage when Foodexpo hosts a wide range of competitions that celebrate craftsmanship and give both current and future food professionals a stage to demonstrate their abilities. The competitions act both as a showcase for the industry’s high professional level and as a source of inspiration and motivation for young and upcoming talents.

While Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year highlight the very best within Danish gastronomy, the Danish Championships for apprentices serve as a springboard for the next generation of chefs and waiters. And according to the organiser, HORESTA, the competitions play an important role.

- The apprentice competitions are important because we are in a time where the demand for skilled workers of the future is greater than ever. If we want to secure the industry’s future quality and development, we must invest purposefully in young talents. The apprentice competitions send a clear signal that professionalism, ambition and dedication are taken seriously. The young participants get a stage where their skills are seen and recognised, and that strengthens both motivation and pride in choosing a vocational education within our industry, explains Pia Svane, Head of Competences, Sustainability and Certification at HORESTA. She elaborates further on the role of the competitions in developing talent within the sector:
- The competitions are a crucial space for development. The participants are tested on delivering their very best, and the competitions can help raise their top performance level. They learn to deliver within limited time, to work in a structured manner, and to refine their technique and communication. At the same time, the competitions create visibility. Many former participants have used the experience as a launch pad for their careers or for international competitions.

Pia Svane emphasises that visitors at Foodexpo can expect exciting competition days, and she underlines that the audience will have the chance to get very close when the finalists in Chef of the Year, Waiter of the Year and the Danish Championships for apprentices battle to become the best within their respective fields.

The green, plant-based kitchen
A new competition on this year’s programme is Green Chef International, organised by the Chef’s Association. Here, the focus is on the green, plant-based kitchen, and for the first time the competition takes place during the fair’s opening hours, meaning visitors will be able to follow along.

- Danish and Nordic gastronomy is bursting with green initiatives at the moment, and with Green Chef International we want to bring these messages even further out into the world – top chefs are fully capable of creating dishes at the highest level without relying on expensive ingredients, and that is one of the reasons we want to create this particular type of competition, explains Thomas Riis, President of the Chef’s Association. He sees great value in the fact that visitors this year will be able to follow the competition up close:
- When a major fair such as Foodexpo becomes a partner and provides the framework for the event, many people naturally gain the opportunity to closely observe highly trained chefs compete and transform raw vegetables into exciting dishes. Hopefully that will inspire them in their own work across the country’s professional kitchens.

Thomas Riis adds that the competition focuses on sustainability, solid craftsmanship and optimal use of raw ingredients. And expectations are high: all 16 chefs – several of whom are members of national culinary teams across Europe – are anticipated to deliver exciting and creative solutions at a remarkably high professional level.

Foodexpo’s professional competitions 2026
• Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year
• Danish Championships for apprentices
• Nordic Chef and Waiter
• Green Chef International
• Denmark’s Best Baker
• Denmark’s Best Pastry Chef
• Denmark’s Best Truffle Cake
• Denmark’s Best Butcher’s Delicacies
• The Danish Championship in Mocktails
• The Danish Championship in Cocktails
• Denmark’s Best Cheese Delicacies