“My focus as a future chef is to actively participate in making the industry more sustainable in every possible way. We need to rethink the whole cooking process in order to make it more sustainable, and I want to be an active part in this,” affirms Frida Jensen, the young talent that will represent Aarhus-Central Denmark, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2017 at the European Young Chef Award 2021.
“For me, sustainability is not just what’s on the plate and how it got there, but it’s also about the chef’s well-being, how many hours we are working, and making sure that the job in the future will be more sustainable.”
22 years old, Frida started studying cooking at Århus Tech when she was 18. She is currently a chef student at Restaurant Hærværk in Aarhus and when she is not there cooking food for the guests, she practices for chef competitions and bakes cakes for her friends and family, a passion that she developed at very young age.
As a child, she used to grow lots of plants and vegetables in her garden with the help of her mother. The effort put into growing it, made Frida really appreciate her small harvests and she always tried to ensure that nothing of it went to waste, by using every part of it creatively.
Frida describes herself as a perfectionist, one of the reasons why she loves kitchen life so much, together with it being a big creative space. She wants to build her professional career putting sustainability at the centre and constantly challenging her own work: “How can I reduce my waste to a minimum? How do I adjust my processes, so that they will be more sustainable? Is the cloth that I’m using without microplastics? How much single-use paper do I use in a day? How much wrapping do my vegetables come in? Is the fish we order caught in a sustainable way?” Every small detail is important to her.
About her participation in the European Young Chef Award, Frida explained: “From this competition I expect to get inspired by the food that the other finalists and I will be making. I am looking forward to seeing what they will come up with and getting to know all of them.”
At the EYCA 2021, Frida will present an innovative reinterpretation of Maskeret blomkål (Masked cauliflower) a traditional dish from Samsø island based on cauliflower, small shrimps from Stavns fiord, peas and mustard.
About the 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 5th 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 Municipality of Braga (Portugal) in Minho, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2016. The competition will be held in the renovated Municipal Market of Braga on 23-24 November 2021 and will gather finalists from 10 European Regions of Gastronomy.
About the European and World Regions of Gastronomy
Candidate and awarded European and World 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; drive environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; support balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlight and support expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practises; and contribute to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance to protect and promote distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguard 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 European and the World Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the European and World Regions of Gastronomy Platform. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the European Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers and the Food Film Menu.