Tales of the Table · Young talent · Kópavogur
Four apprentices win their places in the Nordic Apprentice Competition
Two young cooks from Hótel Geysir and two waiters from Kol and Grand Hótel Reykjavík will represent Iceland when the Nordic Apprentice Competition comes to Akureyri next spring.
The Icelandic qualifier for the Nordic Apprentice Competition was held on Saturday 17 October at the Hotel and Culinary School in Kópavogur, announced by the Club of Icelandic Master Chefs. It was an individual contest that opened with written exams in both cooking and table service before moving on to practical tasks.
The cooks prepared a main course and a dessert. The main course was built around a mystery basket with monkfish as its star, and the dessert called for 64% Valrhona chocolate, pear and mascarpone. The service apprentices were tested on mixing drinks, flambé, setting a table for four, wine pairing, decanting and creative napkin folding.
Cooking apprentices Alexander Brynjarsson and Aron Elvar Bjarkason, both of Hótel Geysir, took the two kitchen places. In service, the places went to Dagný Mist Teitsdóttir Holdø of Kol and Agla Árnadóttir of Grand Hótel Reykjavík. Master chef Úlfar Finnbjörnsson – who himself competed when Iceland first entered the Nordic contest in 1987 – was among the judges.
The final will be held on 15–16 April 2027 at Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri, where the two cooks will compete as one team and the two waiters as another against teams from the other Nordic countries. Kol on Skólavörðustígur is on our Eat & Drink map.
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