Nordic food & Wine pairing

Food and wine pairing is always a real challenge in the Nordic countries.

When I talk to fellow sommeliers in mid/south of Europe I realise that their job is so much easier in one way and why is that?

The cuisine of classical French and Italian food is so well paired with the old world wines that fits each other perfectly and balances all the richness and flavours in a perfect way, that is why it is somewhat easier.

On the other hand the Nordic kitchen is salty, acid and earthy, when you ad on wild not known herbs, undercook fish/seafood and undercook veggies with lots of chlorophyll you create a true challenge for the sommeliers.

I think that this is one of many reasons why the Nordic have some of the top restaurants in the world and why many people travel here to taste and to see what is going on here.

We will continue to be on the forefront in the culinary world and you are all welcome to discover.

Another great dinner with friends

Last week I hade another fabulous dinner at home what I call 12X8 in Viken (where I live) great guests, fab food and amazing wines all incorporated with the best possible weather on the terrace.

The menu ended up with 10 dishes paired with 14 wines with some coffee and calvados at the end.

I just love to do these dinners that give me the chance to cook food exactly the way I like it and the flavours that I choose, what an amazing way of executing cooking in a grand scale with people who appreciate it.

Now I will do a stand during the summer but I will for sure be back I September again with new flavours and pushing the limits even further.

Thanks to everybody who was attending this so far and a big congratulations to her highness Madeleine of Sweden on her wedding day.
I love you my darling for letting me do this crazy things in our home :-)

WACS culinary certification in Sweden

I am very happy to announce that many culinary schools are interested in the new WACS educational and certification program and that they se this recognition as a good standout when it comes to recruit new students.

The WACS educational comities have done a wonderful job and I am proud to be a part of this.

The pictures are from Värnhemskolan in Malmö with all the teachers present on my presentation.

Thanks for inviting me

Le Cordon Bleu

I would like to thank all my chef colleagues and friends but also the Swedish chef association for honour me with the highest culinary award in Sweden the Cordon Bleu.

To receive this makes me humble and it give me more energy to put in for greater culinary achievements in the future.

Thanks guys

Dragan For the next Next Continental Director Europe North

On the next WACS (world association of chef’s societies) congress next year in Stavanger Norway the Swedish chef association are standing behind my candidacy as the next continental director Europe north.

I would like to thank the Nordic countries for their support and votes for this as well. I am very proud and honoured for this and the big trust that they have in me.

 

The job will be a true challenge due to fact that many countries in the north have a lack of communications with each other and I see this as a start for me to work with.

We have all so much knowledge and extensive knowhow up here that we have to exchange with each other in order to bring our countries and association to the next level in the world and to be in the forefront as WACS members.

You will be following my progress here and also on my FB site dragan for WACS. please join me and share with frends.

I look forward to this challenge with great enthusiasm.

 

//D

 The Nordic Chef Association behind my candidacy

 Kristine Hartviksen The Norwegian President

 Haflidi Halldorsson The Islandic President

 Conny Andersson The Swedish president

 

 

Vad är det jag kandiderar till ??!!

Många har frågat och undrar vad det är som jag ska kandidera till därför försöker jag på ett enkelt sätt förklara hur det ligget till och varför.

Först av allt så är WACS world association of chefs societies en världsomspännande nätverk med 90 tal medlemsländer och som drivs av presidenten Gissur Gudmundson från Island där han till sin hjälp av en styrelse.

Denna styrelse består bland annat av sju stycken Continental directors som var och en ansvarar för sin del i världen, Europa som har flest länder med är uppdelat i tre delar där jag vill ansvara för den norra delen med idag 15 länder.

Svenska kockars förening samt dom Nordiska länderna har givit mig chansen och supporten att söka detta vilket jag är oerhört glad och stolt över för att dom visar ett stort förtroende för mig till denna post.

Nu gäller det att samla 15 röster till valet som sker i Stavanger denna tid i nästa år.

Jag hoppas att detta ska förklara lite vad det handlar om och jag svarar gärna på frågor för den som undrar.

//Dragan Unic

NORDIC COMPETITIONS AND CONGRESS 2013 IN GÖTEBORG

The Swedish and Nordic congress is over after a whole week of competitions, food and great friends.

For the first time the WACS Global chef, Hans Bueschkens junior, Nordic chef of the year senior 6 junior and also Global pastry chef where hold in the Nordic, great success and now we are aiming to hold this again in 20015 but this time in Denmark.

BIG CONGRATS TO ALL THE COMPEDITORS.

The world congress will be in Stavanger Norway next year at this time and we are all looking forward to the land of the Vikings.

Enjoy some pictures from the competitions that shows why the Nordic is top in the world.

 

 

WACS meeting in Italy

Visiting Venice is always fantastic and especially with people that you care about, the European WACS meeting last week was amazing and the Italian hospitality was at its best.

The food in Italy can be very mediocre and not exiting at all but this time the hosting chefs put a lot of effort on the food and we where very happy and stuffed like pigs all the time, even Bianca eat very good and enjoyed herself in company of friends.

This kind of meetings are important for driving the culinary world in right directions and it is improving all the time, I am very optimistic of the future and all the young chefs out there thanks to WACS.

Visit the website of http://www.wacs2000.org/wacs2010/en/main/index.php to learn more and see you all in Gothenburg in two weeks for the Swedish and Nordic congress and all the culinary competitions that will be going on there.

 

Cheers//

The nicest place in Göteborg DORSIA

One of the coolest restaurants and Hotels in Gothenburg is named DORSIA a fantastic venue created by Thomas Petersen and staff, I love this place due to that I love the burlesque interior.

This is the best place to stay wile visiting this town or just pop in for some champagne or tea, or why not both, please check in the website http://www.dorsia.se

Wine service and the seller is on the really high scale with every wine that you can desire and the Sommeliers will gladly show you the cellar.

Do enjoy the trip straight out of Moulin Rouge extra everything and the bathrooms are to die for.

 

Härlig Påsk meny med vintips av moi

Buff� 3/2013
Härliga påskrecept från min vän Jacob Gray och mina vinförslag till detta, alltid lika kul att sätt dryck till god mat.
Tack för detta.

The DUÅ boys

Per & Lars Åkerlund that run the great little food shop in Umeå (north Sweden) are doing great things to educate the people in town what good food is all about.

I was again invited to do some tastings for two nights last week where I showed up some of our good cheeses and charcuteries matched with some of my wines, I love to visit these guys that are so full of food energy and to hear from all of they travelling around the world all in the quest for food. Great to be back guys

The new Swedish National culinary senior team

There is a new era and transformation here when it comes to the Swedish national culinary team, when you consider the achievements made by the previous team one can understand the pressure on this all new senior team.

Sweden as a nation that will always rock the culinary scene and the new guys will definitely keep up the good reputation of Swedish gastronomy.

For the first time we also manage to have 3 female chefs on board and that is another way of do things in a modern world.(I am for an all female team as well)

All you teams out there, you are warned.