Swedish chef leads exit from 'culinary stone age'
Published: 8 Feb 13 17:13 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/46086/20130208/
Swedish chef Daniel Räms took home gold in the nation's Chef of the Year competition on Friday, with organizers thrilled that the event strengthens Sweden's charge onto the worldwide culinary stage.
- Swedish food: More than just a good Plopp (5 Apr 13)
- 'It'd be strange if I wasn't nervous': royal chef (4 Apr 13)
- Three Swedish eateries get Michelin stars (14 Mar 13)
"He was so happy, he almost started crying," Hanna Halpern, head of the competition, told The Local.
Räms was handed his prize by Prince Carl Philip.
The chef's winning dish was Arctic char grilled over birch wood chips and garnished with almonds and trout caviar. Sides focused on winter vegetables such as Brussel sprouts and yellow beets, alongside a cauliflower mousse accented with garlic and thyme.
IN PICTURES: See Daniel Räms preparing the winning dishes
But it wasn't just the winning dish that got organizers salivating.
"The whole competition went superbly, people were inspired," Halpern said.
"When we started this thing 30 years ago, Sweden was in the stone age in gastronomy. The only thing people knew about Sweden and cooking was The Swedish Chef from The Muppets."
She argued that not only has the quality of Sweden's top dining improved drastically, but the consumers are hungrier than ever for it.
"People are talking about the great chefs in Sweden, and consumers both here and abroad are interested," she told The Local.
"This growth on both sides means that the quality of cooking in Sweden is continuing to develop and that's very exciting."
Second place in the competition went to Stockholm-based chef Johan Backeus, with third place going to Gothenburg native Jesper Bogren.
Oliver Gee
Follow Oliver on Twitter here
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Live Blog: Eurovision Song Contest final
The 2013 Eurovision Song Contest Final is live in Malmö, southern Sweden. The Local brings you all the latest news, reactions, and details surrounding Europe's biggest pop music spectacle. READ () »
Three shot in jewellery heist on busy street
Three people were wounded during an armed robbery on a jewellery store in Ängelholm, southern Sweden on Saturday, with the robbers escaping on a yellow moped. READ () »
County council admits to buying out 'bomb man'
The Sörmland County Council in central Sweden 'accidentally' hired a convicted criminal who had served a long prison sentence for threatening to blow up oil storage tanks and had to pay 1million kronor in severance pay to get rid of him. READ () »
Man wounded in schoolyard shooting
Panic broke out at a Gothenburg school on Friday evening as one man was wounded in a shooting which could be linked to a violent robbery that took place in the area on the same day. READ () »
Teen girl admits to Instagram 'slut-shaming'
A 15-year-old girl has admitted to setting up the Instagram account that caused hundreds of teenagers to riot in Gothenburg last year, but her 16-year-old friend has denied involvement. READ () »
Fierce hockey rivals go head to head
Ice hockey World Championships co-hosts Sweden and Finland continue their long-standing rivalry on Saturday with a place in the gold medal match at stake. READ () »
Scandal ousts Stockholm economics school head
The president of the Stockholm School of Economics, one of Sweden's most prestigious universities, has been forced out in response to a scandal over his hiring of a high-ranking official who'd been convicted of insider trading. READ () »
'Sweden next in line for housing market crash'
Sweden tops a list of countries that risk suffering a housing market crash, Germany's Commerzbank has warned, citing the slackening off of Swedish property prices as a harbinger of a potential downswing. READ () »
- 18/05 Man wounded in schoolyard shooting »
- 17/05 Danes invade Sweden for Eurovision final »
- 17/05 American 'prince' says no to Swedish citizenship »
- 16/05 Eurovision superfans swarm southern Sweden »
- 16/05 Naked Swede dresses down American Apparel »
- 16/05 TEDx looks to get Stockholmers thinking »
- 15/05 Ten secrets to a smooth transition to Sweden »
- 15/05 Swedish photographer cleared of manipulation »
- 15/05 Swedes slam American Apparel over 'sexist' ads »
- 14/05 Swedish court jails exorcist parents »
More news from Germany at thelocal.de
More news from France at thelocal.fr
More news from Norway at thelocal.no
More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch
In cooperation with DoToday
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
Be British, be sincere and be bold »
"Sweden is a veritable smorgåsbord for UK business. I see our work as a bit like a kind of dragon’s den for both for larger and smaller British companies. It is about matching the UK companies, not with cash, but with Swedish market opportunities." READ »
- 13/5 22:40 Week 20 matches (Stripes News)
- 26/4 02:20 Stockholm Taxi Wars: Über fail (Boston Blatte)
- 19/4 15:47 UK and Sweden sign Defence MOU (The Diplomatic Dispatch)
- 16/05 Rob for Russian Speaking
- 16/05 pet carrier
- 16/05 Big Sister/ Nanny
- 16/05 I need an apartment any where in or near to Stockholm
- 15/05 English speaking babysitter
- 15/05 Lookinf for track driver job!
- 19:55 Where to buy rubbing alcohol?
- 16:49 Posting parcel from Sweden
- 15:34 Drinking laws in Sweden confused!
- 15:31 In need of a home in Uppsala from August...
- 14:57 Questions Regarding Swedish Literature
- 13:18 What does Lagom really mean?
- 12:26 Does any business owner needs a partnership
- 09:38 Online Shopping (Womens Clothing)
- 20:46 Questions concerning MV
- 19:25 My scary encounter with Swedbank.
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE
Casa Birgitta in Algarve, Portugal. Reduced price in best location. Private estate on white sand beach. All amenities included. Book here today! edward_george1@hotmail.com
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Your comments about this article:
The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.
Now it is in the bronze age.
This is progress, I guess....
Found that out of all the Swedish chefs entering, it was a Swedish chef who won.
"organisers thrilled that the event strengthens Sweden's charge onto the worldwide culinary stage"
#Facepalm-Sweden
Now it is in the bronze age.
This is progress, I guess....
Yeah, right! As if anybody outside the borders of this navel-staring, smug and self-righteous country would ever take note, let alone care.
So, when it comes to culinary prizes given to Swedes, as judged by Swedes, let us smile. They mean nothing at all. Who, outside Sweden, cares about them? In all honesty, Sweden has probably the worst, and simultaneously most expensive cuisine, in Europe.
I do like traditional Swedish food mind you even, as theobserver comments, if it does seem to consist of using up leftovers quite often.
Nothing wrong with that though but this fanciful claim the organizers made ?? Oh dear.. Wrong..
Plus, for his recipe, I doubt he was using jet washed off the bone meat to boost the protein content of his meal.
Good for you !! You must know something that no-one else does.
Care to elucidate or are you just trying to provoke or troll yourself ??
Anyways, you are entitled to your own comments, as worthless as they are, the same as anyone else.
I just came on here to say that the horsemeat / Findus article has for some reason stopped taking or showing comments so this is actually directed to TL management. Sorry Migga but you just aren't important.
What the heck has happened TL ??? Why have you done this ??
As someone who has spent considerable amount of time in many European countries, I consider what I wrote a fact, based on evidence. It is not, as you perhaps believe, trolling.
The truth of the matter is that Sweden is ages behind in cuisine. There are, indeed, some good restaurants, but they are not for someone with an ordinary job because they are outrageously expensive. Good, inexpensive, food does not exist. This is because most Swedes I know are happy to eat anything. Especially if it is free. I used to be a cook, but gave it up in Sweden precisely because I don't believe that one should have to pay 1000 kronor to eat something decent.
This is why I said that Sweden is still in the bronze age of gastronomy. Surprising indeed, given the fact that many Swedes have traveled abroad and seen what good, and not so expensive, food can be like. At home, many are happy with skinka-ost tubes, frozen meatballs, and cans of sill. (Nothing wrong with sill, I eat it too, but I don't want to go to a restaurant and served food from cans or frozen food.)
Well even if you have several years of experience it still isn`t fact and all Swedes hardly feel or think like the ones you know. But sure the cost of food is high in Sweden but that`s because of long transports and taxes, but the price has nothing to do with the food itself. Judge it by taste, not cost.