Leading retailers gather at the Nordic Natural & Organic Expo during the Stockholm premiere

Swedish Organic Chef of the Year 2024, organized by Ekomatcentrum, returns for the first time in eight years to the Nordic region’s largest meeting place for organic food: Nordic Organic Food Fair, on October 9-10 at Kistamässan, Stockholm. The fair is proud to sponsor the competition, which focuses on sustainable gastronomy, innovation, and circular economy.

“Swedish Organic Chef of the Year represents an important step forward for sustainable gastronomy. Here, we celebrate these incredibly skilled chefs who not only set the standard for sustainable cooking but also show the industry the amazing possibilities when we take a holistic approach to ingredients and think circular. It’s high time that sustainability becomes an inherent part of our cooking,” says Ted Wendt from Ekomatcentrum.

Focus on sustainable gastronomy and circular economy

The main theme of this year’s competition is circular economy, where the finalists must show how they can cook in a circular and sustainable way, focusing on optimizing resource use. A new element this year is the inclusion of game meat, which the finalists will use in their dishes. This is intended to encourage chefs to use game meat as a sustainable alternative with a focus on nutrient density, reduced pressure on agriculture, and a more balanced ecosystem.

For the first time, the producers behind the ingredients used in the competition will be on-site to share their stories about locally sourced products produced within a 25-mile radius.

Finalists ready for the competition

This year’s finalists are four former winners of the Swedish Organic Chef competition, competing for the title of Master Chef. They are experienced and recognized chefs from different parts of the country, all with a shared vision of sustainable cooking but with their own unique interpretations. The final will be held on October 10 at the Nordic Organic Food Fair, Kistamässan.

Jonas Alvin, Linköping. Swedish Organic Chef of the Year 2017

Jonas has made an impressive journey from Vimmerby to Michelin-starred restaurants like Wd50 in New York and Matthias Dahlgren in Stockholm. Since 2015, he has been the head chef and co-owner of Stångs Magasin in Linköping, where he collaborates with local organic farmers to use the best ingredients.

Johan Tyrén, Borås. Swedish Organic Chef of the Year 2023

With over 25 years of experience in culinary arts, Johan has been running Gastronomi Elva in Borås since 2007, which became KRAV certified in 2017. With a background from prestigious restaurants like Aquavit in New York under Marcus Samuelsson, Johan has a strong passion for sustainable cooking.

Viktor Arabzadeh, Gothenburg. Swedish Organic Chef of the Year 2016

Viktor has been a finalist in Swedish Young Chef of the Year and second place in Nordic Organic Chef of the Year, as well as worked at Upper House in Gothenburg, a Michelin-starred restaurant. As head chef at restaurant C in the Brynstålet group, Viktor focuses on developing sustainable cooking methods.

Jonas Karlsson, Visby. Swedish Organic Chef of the Year 2019

A prominent chef from Visby on Gotland, with a strong focus on organic and sustainable cooking. He was a finalist in Swedish Chef of the Year 2016. As a chef at Växthuset Linds in Visby, Jonas develops sustainable cooking methods and offers private dinners. His work is characterized by a commitment to circular economy and the use of organic ingredients.