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Talented chefs, waiters and bartenders compete at Foodexpo
arrow_backTo the overview22 February 2024
The prestigious competitions “Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year” as well as the Danish Championships in both cocktail and mocktail take place at Foodexpo, where a number of Nordic competitions also take place. The largest food fair in the Nordics takes place in MCH Messecenter Herning 17-19. March 2024.
The art of mixing the perfect cocktail and mocktail comes into focus at this year's edition of Foodexpo, where the best and most talented bartenders in the country participate in the Danish Bartender Championships at the Bar Scene. With buckets of innovative ideas, plans are made for both good taste and entertainment in a special class when the noble discipline is reinterpreted.
- The audience can expect a spectacular show of talent and creativity. Participants will push the boundaries of what is possible in mixology and present innovative mocktails and cocktails that are not only a delight to the palate but also a visual feast. It is a unique chance to see some of the country's best bartenders in action and to be inspired by the art and science behind each drink, states Zander Lauritzen Hansen, founder of Mixology International, which organizes the championships.
He says that the trend within the art of bartending is an increased focus on sustainability and local ingredients. Bartenders are increasingly experimenting with creating their own extracts, bitters and fermented ingredients in an effort to add unique depths to their cocktails. At the same time, non-alcoholic cocktails are more popular than ever, and in general the art of bartending is developing rapidly - for the same reason, the organizer has high expectations for the championships.
- For both the mocktail and cocktail competition, I expect a high level of innovation and creativity from the participants. In the mocktail competition, the challenge is to create something refreshing and original without alcohol, while the cocktail competition allows bartenders to experiment with a wide range of spirits and techniques to create complex and harmonious drinks. I expect the participants to demonstrate the level of artistry and craftsmanship that Danish bartending is known for, says Zander Lauritzen Hansen.
The Danish mocktail championships take place on the opening day of the fair, while the cocktail section of the championships takes place on the second day. On the last day, the Bar-Scene will host workshops with wine and spirits.
Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year – prestigious titles
Likewise, at Foodexpo, the Chef of the Year and the Waiter of the Year will be found, and this will happen in an exuberant kitchen competition between eight of the country's best chefs and two waiters. Both titles are among the most honorable and coveted in the gastronomic world, and it is already on the first day of the fair that the winners are found and chosen.
The eight chef finalists have six hours and 30 minutes to create as superb a three-course menu as possible, after which the delicacies are served to a panel of specially invited guests and star judges. In the cooking competition, the participants are judged based on a range of criteria such as taste and presentation, while the judges in the waiter competition look at the professional work as well as the personal appearance of the participants.
The Chef of the Year and Waiter of the Year are to be found for the 31st and 17th time respectively, and the competitions are organized by the industry association HORESTA in collaboration with 3F.
Prestigious Nordic chef and waiter competitions
Foodexpo is an international trade fair, which is also reflected in the cooking competitions, which, in addition to those already mentioned, include Nordic Green Chef and Nordic Chef and Waiter.
The former premiered at the 2022 edition of Foodexpo and now returns on the second day of Foodexpo 2024, where five chefs and their commis from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland compete on sustainability and vegetable-based diet.
The same nations participate in Nordic Chef and Waiter, where the chefs compete on culinary creativity and diversity. Five young chefs compete in a parallel junior competition, and everything can be experienced on the last day of the fair.
The competitions are organized by the Danish Chefs Association and the Nordic Chef Association.
In addition to the chef and waiter competitions, Foodexpo forms the framework for a large number of professional competitions within, for example, the pastry and butcher trades.
Foodexpo takes place in MCH Messecenter Herning 17.-19. March 2024. Read more at uk.foodexpo.dk.
