Winner of the European Young Chef Award 2021 and IGCAT’s Regional Chef Ambassador, Espen Laumann will chair the jury of the 6th European Young Chef Award, to be held in Trondheim (Norway) on 10-13 November 2022.
Espen Laumann has accomplished a lot since his victory at the European Young Chef Award 2021. After winning the Norwegian Championship for Apprentices in May 2022, he successfully completed his apprenticeship at 1-Michelin-starred restaurant Speilsalen at Britannia Hotel.
With the aim to expand his professional knowledge and test his skills with different kinds of cuisine, Espen gained further experience by working as a chef for the Trønder Food Festival and at Jonathan Grill steak house, also at Britannia Hotel. Currently, you can find him in the kitchen of Le Bistro restaurant in Trondheim.
Espen’s culinary journey began at the early age of 12, when he took his first steps in a professional kitchen. After entering higher education, at 19 he realised that cooking was what he really wanted to do in his life and decided to carve his own path towards it by enrolling in culinary school.
Espen’s wish to the finalists of the European Young Chef Award 2022: “I hope the young chefs see this as a wonderful opportunity to grow, learn from each other, as well as share experiences and culture. The European Young Chef Award has meant a lot to my career and development as a chef. I warmly welcome all finalists to Trondheim and Trøndelag!”
About IGCAT’s European Young Chef Award
The European Young Chef Award is an annual competition organised by IGCAT that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. Selected each year through local contests, finalists to the European Young Chef Award compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients.
The 6th edition of the European Young Chef Award is organised and promoted by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) and hosted by the Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022. The competition will be held at Strinda High School in Trondheim on 11-12 November 2022, with the support of Trondheim Municipality, Trøndelag County Authority, and Innovation Norway.
About the World Regions of Gastronomy
Candidate and awarded World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.