UK Chefs visit Norway, the whitefish nation, on

Some of the UK’s top emerging chef talent have visited Norway, the whitefish nation, on a trip organised by the Norwegian Seafood Council, and led by Seafood from Norway chef partners, Michel Roux and Simon Hulstone. The chefs have undertaken a discovery into why origin matters when it comes to sustainable seafood

Visiting Norway’s cold, clear waters and the fishing communities that have remained the beating heart of the country for thousands of years has been a truly eye opening experience for many of the chefs, which include: Nikita Pathakji, MasterChef The Professionals 2022 Winner; Aled Williams, winner of the CHEF & Restaurant Magazine lockdown chef competition; Kyle Bowman, 2022 Sodexo Chef of the Year; and winners of the last four Young National Chef of the Year competitions – William Keeble, Edwin Kuk, Dan Cornish and Mae Dionio.

The chefs have been exploring the wild northern territory of Norway, taking a trip through harsh winter landscapes, visiting fiords and mountains to reach Tromsø, Honningsvåg and Skarsvåg, the world’s northernmost fishing village. The educational agenda gave a deep dive into Norway’s responsible fisheries management and quality measures, in addition to time with locals to understand how the seafood industry helps keep coastal communities thriving, especially in the far north.

The group were challenged to catch their own supper from cold, clear waters around Honningsvåg with local producer Cape Fish at the helm to explain the importance of quality, from catch to market. The catch of the day was then cooked over an open fire in a traditional lavvo by acclaimed Norwegian chef, Gunnar Jensen. With seasonal skrei flamed with garlic and tarragon, followed by red king crab with herb butter, smoked cod’s roe, and pan-fried cod’s liver, the chefs were treated and inspired by a host of traditional Nordic delicacies.

Norges Råfisklag, the Norwegian sales organisation for cod fish and shellfish, delivered educational talks along the way detailing Norway’s world-leading responsible fisheries management practices – from pioneering quotas, regulations and zero discard policies to diverse fishing fleets and investment in the latest research, equipment and technology.

A trip to Skarsvåg provided the unique opportunity to see the world’s northernmost fishing village and to meet another local processor, Ålesundfisk, for a tour of their facilities, quality procedures and impressive catches of the day. Here, the group had a hands-on workshop to fillet and skilfully cut the tongues from freshly caught cod, before enjoying a traditional Skrei Mølje dinner, cooked by Chef Jensen, where every part of the revered whitefish was used, from tongue-to-tail, in celebration of Norwegian cod and its gastronomic traditions.

Mae Dionio, winner of Young National Chef of the Year 2022 from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons commented, “It’s been really interesting to learn about the provenance and