Success for Umeå Food Symposium 2023

Over 600 chefs, sommeliers, writers, photographers and publishers from 74 countries, plus around thirty diplomats, have visited Umeå during the past week for Umeå Food Symposium and Gourmand & Hallbars Awards 2023. The seminars and food experiences have followed each other. In addition, prizes for the world's best cookbooks are awarded.

– I want to send a big thank you to Umeå for the hospitality and professionalism we have received during the past week. It was a fantastic event at Umeå Folkets Hus, where writers from all over the world got attention for the solid work that they have done. Together with all the meetings we also bring with us many positive food and drink experiences and not least new knowledge to our home countries, says Edouard Cointreau, chairman and founder of the Gourmand & Hallbars Awards, as well as chairman of the competition's international jury.

The conference days during the Umeå Food Symposium and Gourmand & Hallbars Awards have really been packed. Thursday is devoted to gastronomic and other food-related research, for example the world's possibilities for food supply during the ongoing climate changes. Friday became a bit of a day of diplomacy, when around thirty diplomats from all corners of the world came to Umeå to discuss the subject of gastro diplomacy and the fact that food and drink are and can be used as a unifying cultural carrier. Half a day was also devoted to the French kitchen, where all lectures and discussions were also held in French.

Saturday became a day when indigenous peoples and their different food cultures received a special focus, as well as wider food traditions in different countries from around the world. In addition, Husmansbord was held at RISE, Scharinska villan, where Sweden's best country food was tried, discussed and even praised.

Sunday was in the sign of health, when differences in eating habits between and men and women were discussed, as well as the importance of food when it comes to reducing the risk of cancer and how to motivate to change and improve diet.

During all conference days, there was also a tent on Rådhustorget where For Foodies together with Facit bar invited chefs, sommeliers, and bartenders to serve both food and drinks to conference visitors and Umeå residents.

Anders Ågren (M) deputy Mayor in Umeå together with Helene Hellmark Knutsson, governor of Västerbotten, hosted a dinner with diplomats, researchers, cookbook authors, organizers, and regional food producers in the county residence.

– These have been important days for Umeå, because we have had the opportunity to show off Umeå and our part of the country to a large number of international guests. The Gourmand Awards, which often are called the Oscars of cookbooks, give us in Umeå inspiration and new impressions, and we also know that many of our various industry representatives have gained new contacts these days, which is extremely valuable, says Anders Ågren.

visitumea.se/umea-food-symposium
www.hallbars.org
www.cookbookfair.com

More information:
Edouard Cointreau, chairman and founder of the Gourmand Awards, who is also chairman of the competition's international jury (he speaks English, Spanish and French).
+33 784 96 42 10
edouard@hallbars.org

Anders Ågren (M)
Deputy Mayor
Umeå Municipality
+46 70 341 67 64
anders.agren@umea.se

Pelle Agorelius, representing the Gourmand Awards in Sweden, Husmansbord organizer and CEO of Hallbars Research Institute.
+46 70 646 75 77
pelle@hallbars.org

Anna Olofsson, local organizer of the Umeå Food Symposium and Marketing manager, Umeå Municipality.
+46 70 652 06 56
anna.olofsson@umea.se