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Winner of Arctic Young Chef 2024 Iceland is

ANDRÉS BJÖRGVINSSON

And runnner up is

MARIA OSK STEINSDÓTTIR

Andrés Björgvinsson to represent Iceland in Arctic Young Chef competition

The winner of the international Arctic Young Chef will be found in November when Björgvinsson competes against the national winners from the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Norway

Iceland’s representative in the international Arctic Young Chef competition will be Andrés Björgvinsson, after an exquisite fusion of baccalà and skyr earned him the national title in Kópavogur today.

Mr Björgvinsson beat out runner-up Maria Ósk Steinsdóttir and the six other competitors with a dish showcasing a level of creativity and gastronomical skills that impressed the jury and the event’s spectators alike.

The three-chef jury, made up of Ægir Fríðríksson and Snædis Xyza Jónsdóttir, both of Iceland, and chair Teitur Christensen, of the Faroe Islands, praised the winner for the display of cooking and presentation skills he showed in preparing both of the required dishes. Still, they warned that he needs to up his game before the international competition in Bodø, Norway, in November.

“The lamb was generally good and well cooked, but the judges could point out a few things that were lacking flavour. The salted cod was well balanced, but a little on the salty side, though this was due to the thickness and the amount of time he had to prepare it. Andrés impressed us with what he was able to do in the short time he had,” the jury said.

Bodø is the European Capital of Culture this year, and the Bodø24 programme will provide the international Arctic Young Chef competition with a vibrant backdrop for a celebration of North Atlantic and Arctic culinary excellence and cultural exchange.

Receiving the trophy from Icelandic Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Mr Björgvinsson said he was looking forward to representing his country in Bodø.

He said: “It was a tough competition, and that made the victory even sweeter. I think it is amazing that we finally have a competition that utilises less-used ingredients. Lamb belly and baccalà are both excellent ingredients you don’t often see used these days.”

The next national competition will be held in Ilullisat, Greenland, in May. After that, attention shifts to Klaksvik in the Faroe Islands on 17 August, before the national championships wrap up in Mosjøen, Norway, on 12 September.

More information about the Arctic Young Chef competition is available at www.ayc.fo Updates about the competition are posted at instagram.com/arctic_young_chef