12-04-2013 Bocuse d’Or Bronze award winner, Hákon Már Örvarsson, has been hired as the new Manager for the Icelandic Culinary Team. He is one of the most experienced chefs in Iceland and is a former member of the Icelandic Culinary team. Hákon has worked as Chef de cuisine at a Michelin star restaurant in Luxembourg and as Executive Chef at Nordica Hotel and VOX Restaurant in Reykjavik. He has also worked as a Culinary Teacher at the Hotel and Catering School in Iceland. He is now working as a private Chef and appearing as a guest Chef promoting Iceland in USA and Canada. Hákon Már also manages one of the finest salmon fishing lodge in Iceland during the summer seasons. Hákon Már has won many awards and recognitions. Among them, Chef of the year in Iceland 1997, bronze medal at Expo Gast “Culinary World Cup” 1998, Nordic Chef Bronze medal 1998, Chef of the Year “Mouton Cadet” Gold medal 1999, Bocuse d’Or Bronze award 2001 and Honorary Diplome for great achievements in culinary contests from the Icelandic Chefs Association. Hákon Már has a diploma as a culinary judge and has been a member of the international jury in the Icelandic Chef of the year contest and in the Nordic Chef contest. He is now a member of Bocuse d’Or Winners Academie and was one of 12 leading chefs from all the Nordic countries to sign the New Nordic Food Manifesto. The President of the Icelandic Chefs Association, Hafliði Halldórsson, is very pleased that Hákon Már has agreed to manage the Culinary Team. “Hákon Már has achieved a great deal, he is familiar with culinary contests both as a competitor and as a judge. We know that his experience and knowledge will be very beneficial for the team and will encourage the team members to set the bar high,” he says. Hákon Már says that he is excited to choose those chefs that are willing to participate in the challenging training process that lies ahead for the culinary competitions. “We are now in the process of building the team and we are aiming to participate in Expogast Culinary World Cup in 2014. We have many excellent chefs in Iceland that are potential to great achievements in international competitions.”
