About me
Ambassadors wear many hats. Above all, they are often seen as the recognisable representatives of their country abroad, the people who open doors, build relationships and create bridges between cultures. For me, therefore, it was quite natural to reach out to the French Ambassador when my association in Lyon asked me to take on the responsibility of opening the competition in Denmark and establishing its Scandinavian edition.
At the heart of the competition is a product that could hardly be more French: the pâté en croûte. Historically, this was food for working people, a practical and substantial meal that labourers could wrap up and take with them for the day. With protein, fat and pastry combined in one meal, it provided nourishment and stamina for long hours of physical work.
Over the centuries, this humble food became part of France’s culinary identity. Today, pâté en croûte can be found throughout France, with different regions, chefs and artisans giving it their own distinctive accents and interpretations.
At first glance, you might imagine that something so deeply rooted in French tradition would remain uniquely French. Yet something remarkable has happened. In recent years, the organisation in Lyon behind the competition has helped take this once-simple workers’ food far beyond the borders of France. Today, interpretations of pâté en croûte can be found internationally, from specialist delicatessens and contemporary restaurants to Michelin-starred tables.
That journey, from the packed lunch of French labourers to an expression of contemporary gastronomy around the world, is a wonderful example of how food can carry culture across borders.
An essential part of our Scandinavian competition has been the quality and diversity of our jury. By our third edition, we were privileged to welcome a high-level jury whose members were selected for their expertise, knowledge and ability to taste and evaluate pâté en croûte at the highest level. The distinction of the jury was also reflected in the remarkable individuals who accepted our invitation to take part. We were honoured to welcome His Excellency Hans Wallmark, Ambassador of Sweden to Denmark, and Her Excellency Tone Allers, Ambassador of Norway to Denmark, bringing an important diplomatic dimension to an event whose very purpose is to build bridges between France and Scandinavia.
Alongside them were some exceptional representatives of French and international gastronomy, including Christian Garcia, the distinguished chef who served the Princely Palace of Monaco for four decades and has represented Monaco at the highest level of gastronomy; Guillaume Gomez, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, former chef of the kitchens of the Élysée Palace and a leading representative of French gastronomy; Christophe Raoux, Meilleur Ouvrier de France; and Daniel Gobet, World Pâté-Croûte Champion 2018. Mr Antoine Cuissard (restaurant Marchal) Pâté-Croûte Champion. Scandinavian winner 2025 for Denmark and of course important members of the Jury highly qualified to taste and vote.
Their presence, together with the butchers, bakers, chefs and other professionals represented on the jury, gave the competition something particularly important: a meeting not only of different culinary professions, but also of diplomacy, craftsmanship, experience and cultures.
For a competition built around such a profoundly French gastronomic tradition, to have these distinguished figures sitting together in Copenhagen and judging Scandinavian interpretations of pâté en croûte was itself a powerful expression of what we are trying to achieve — bringing people and countries together around the table. Importantly, these experts do not come only from the world of chefs. They also represent the crafts and professions that surround pâté en croûte every day: butchers, bakers and other professionals who make, serve, sell and work with this remarkable product. Their combined knowledge reminds us that great gastronomy is rarely the achievement of one profession alone. It is the result of craftsmanship, ingredients, technique, experience and collaboration.
This year marked another important step in the development of the competition. For the first time, our candidates came from three different Scandinavian countries, bringing together culinary talent from across the region.
Scandinavia and the wider Nordic region are made up of countries and territories with their own languages, histories and identities. Denmark, Norway and Sweden form Scandinavia in the conventional geographic sense, while the wider Nordic family also encompasses Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. What connects us is not that we are all the same, but that we have a long tradition of cooperation alongside our individual identities.
Eight candidates reached our Scandinavian competition this year. When the results were announced, first place went to Sweden, second place to Denmark and third place to Norway. For me, there was something particularly meaningful about that result.
William Carlström – Championnat du Monde de Pâté-Croûte Scandinavia Champion 2026
Of course, competition is about striving to be the best, and there is nothing wrong with healthy national pride. At many international championships, our Scandinavian and Nordic countries compete separately against one another, and that has its own value and excitement. But when we are meeting another culture , in this case, taking part in a great French gastronomic tradition, I believe there is also strength in standing together.
That is precisely what we have created in Copenhagen.
We compete as individuals and represent our respective countries, but at the same time we can celebrate the achievement collectively as Scandinavians. A Swedish victory can therefore also be something Denmark and Norway celebrate. We can compete with one another without allowing nationality to become the purpose of the competition. Instead, the competition becomes a meeting of cultures: French gastronomic heritage interpreted through Scandinavian craftsmanship, ingredients, ideas and sensibilities.
As co-president of the Scandinavian event held in Denmark, I am therefore especially proud that we have now been able to complete our third edition with the support of His Excellency David Bertolotti, Ambassador of France to Denmark. His support represents much more than the presence of an Ambassador at a culinary competition. It reflects precisely what an ambassador can help make possible: connections between people, professions, traditions and countries. A humble French food with centuries of history has travelled from the hands of workers to some of the finest tables in the world, and now provides a meeting place between France and Scandinavia.
In Copenhagen, we have demonstrated that competition does not have to divide us. We can challenge one another, learn from one another and still share in each other’s success. We can be Danish, Swedish and Norwegian and, at the same time, stand proudly together as Scandinavians – as we will do in Lyon at the World Championship on 30 November 2026. Thereafter, we look forward to the fourth Scandinavian edition of the Championnat du Monde de Pâté-Croûte, which will be held in the home country of this year’s winner: Sweden, in 2027.
We may compete under different flags, but we share the same passion, the same respect for craftsmanship and the same table. That, to me, is the true spirit of this competition.
