Gladmat Food Festival 2015 - Click Here to Read More

Gladmat Food Festival is held every year in Stavanger. It is the biggest food festival in the Nordics! It was established in 1998, and I remember it well from when I was a kid growing up in this area of Norway. It was a fun event back then, but I also have memories of a festival that needed improvents. Thus, it was exciting to be asked to be part of the Gladmat jury this year.

The L'Unico BBQ grill, aka the Rescue Juice wagon, was the only proper food truck at the festival — The L’Unico BBQ grill, aka the Rescue Juice wagon, was the only proper food truck at the festival

The jury consisted of only food bloggers, which I found to be a great idea. This way the Gladmat team made sure that it was truely dedicated people who tasted and rated the food, and not just some random journalists. It was Olav Birkeland (aka Hobbykokken) as jury leader, Mari Hult (aka Vegetarbloggen), Anne Cathrine (aka Enestående Mat), Analiza Gonzales, Elin (aka Kjøkkenmagi) and me. Our task was to taste the food from every single one of the 88 food stands at the festival. Based on that we had to make a short list of 5 nominees in 4 different categories.

Big boats, small boats and untradtional "boats" in the Stavanger harbour — Big boats, small boats and untradtional “boats” in the Stavanger harbour

"Vågen" in Stavanger — “Vågen” in Stavanger

The four categories were 1) the best “Gladmat” dish. Every stand represented had to offer a 30 kroner dish to take part in the competition. 2) The best experience overall, 3) The best stand, and finally 4) The most creative dish. We decided early to split up into two teams, to make sure we would be able to cover all food vendors. One team covered the eastside and one the westside. After day 1, each team would recommend the other on where to try food the next day from their side. You can read Analiza’s report from the day here – we were in different tasting teams.

Chili Klaus was represented at the festival! With chili tastings and book signing

For those who dared, and did not have to judge a food festival, Chili Klaus offered some of the hottest chilis in the world to taste

Once the list of nominees was ready on the second day, they all got a diploma to signalize to people where to find some of the best food experiences at the festival. Everyone on the jury had to try the nominated food once more, and the final day we announced the winners on stage. Mari Hult was the only one in the jury who also took part in the festival at another level, by holding several vegetarian cooking classes each day. You can read her recipes here. The rest of us just had to focus on not overeating, because we had a lot of dishes to test out…

Mari Hult, aka Vegetarbloggen, held classes in falafel making

The most important change I saw in the festival, compared to earlier years, is the great possibility participants now have to try a lot of different dishes at a low cost. This is really what a food festival should be all about. Testing different food and flavors and sharing the food with your friends! By far not all dishes were of exceptional quality, but the level was quite high and much better than I remember from earlier yes. In the end, we ended up with very different winners in the four categories, from IKEA winning the best stand to Tango with the best dish. The following are my best experiences from Gladmat food festival 2015.

L’Unico

Pulled pork sandwich from L'Unico. Superb quality and flavors — Pulled pork sandwich from L’Unico. Superb quality and flavors

L'Unico was nominated in the category "Best stand" — L’Unico was nominated in the category “Best stand”

Fisketorget

Snow crab as seen on "Deadliest Catch" — Snow crab as seen on “Deadliest Catch”

Lobsters being prepared for the shellfish plateau at Fisketorget

Mari got a vegetarian dish that looked stunning. A celeriac cream with vegetables

Karl Erik Pallesen celebrates winning the category "Best experience" — Karl Erik Pallesen celebrates winning the category “Best experience”

Tango

Fried crab cake, nouc-cham and acidic cabbage, mayo and coriander

Steambun with caramelized pork belly, chili mayo, spring onion and coriander

Knut Espen at Tango gave us great advice for bubbles to go in our glasses. Anne Cathrine listens all ears

Olav Birkeland and his Fanta. The Hobbykokken porn look that no women (or men) can resist

Sjøhuset Skagen

"Komleburger". Traditional Norwegian komle made from potatoes, and here made into a vegetarian burger version. — “Komleburger”. Traditional Norwegian komle made from potatoes, and here made into a vegetarian burger version.

KCC by Sjøhuset Skagen. Krekling Crackling Crunch. Blackcurrant and vanilla ice cream. Dipped in dark chocolate with "krekling". Crunchy hazelnuts and a crackling surprise inside (popping candy). — KCC by Sjøhuset Skagen. Krekling Crackling Crunch. Blackcurrant and vanilla ice cream. Dipped in dark chocolate with “krekling”. Crunchy hazelnuts and crackling surprise inside (popping candy).

Robert Ottesen, the man behind all the innovations at Sjøhuset Skagen, here showing the popping candy used for the KCC

"Den Andre" - The Other. Chocolate meringue, hazelnut cream with plum chutney and Kraftkar blue cheese — “Den Andre” – The Other. Chocolate meringue, hazelnut cream with plum chutney and Kraftkar blue cheese

I congratulate Robert Ottesen and Sjøhuset Skagen with the price for creativity

Il Gelato

Il Gelato was nominated in the category "Best experience" — Il Gelato was nominated in the category “Best experience”

Analiza was happy with her gelato. Check lizasmatverden.blogspot.no

Skeie Gård

Olav, aka Hobbykokken, discussing burger

The burger meat was smashed straight onto the sizzling hot griddle

Skeie Gård had double cooked fries. A compromise for triple cooked, admittedly, but it worked pretty good as a British style vinegary type of fries.

Weber

Jan Ivar Nykvist held classes in the art of grilling, and sold his new book "Glød" — Jan Ivar Nykvist held classes in the art of grilling, and sold his new book “Glød”

Komla & Cava

Komla & Cava. What better combination than a classy cava and potatoe balls smashed on a plate

Gådjå

Ostehuset

Chorizo and potato croquette with artichoke cream, lemon cherry tomato, nettle foam and wild flowers. The most beautiful dish at the entire festival, by Ostehuset

Others Worth a Mention

The tasting platter at Scandic Hotel. 2 of 5 dishes were quite ok, the rest were too bland

"Rømmebolle". A twist on the classic German quarkbällchen by the bakery Arne Johannesen. Made with Norwegian sour cream in stead of quark. Fried crust and airy inside. — “Rømmebolle”. A twist on the classic German quarkbällchen by the bakery Arne Johannesen. Made with Norwegian sour cream in stead of quark. Fried crust and airy inside.

Hobbykokken demonstrates how to eat sour cream balls

Sucker lamb and coleslaw from Salza Steakhouse and Bar

A peculiar dish from Prima Jæren. Traditional Norwegian "ribbe" (pork belly), in a sausage bread with sauerkraut and puffed pork crisps. — A peculiar dish from Prima Jæren. Traditional Norwegian “ribbe” (pork belly), in a sausage bread with sauerkraut and puffed pork crisps.

The weather Gods in Stavanger were kind to us

So tempting to touch it... — So tempting to touch it…

“Gladmatmiddagen” – The Gladmat Dinner

I am not posting any pictures from this diner, because I don’t think the quality was good enough. I’ll only say that Gastronomisk Institutt really should up their game next year. Here are some pictures of the entertainment, though.