Insights from the Seafood from Norway Inspiration Day

When Ceres scooped up the Supplier of the Year Award at the NFFF Fish & Chip Awards in January, I was over the moon—though you might not guess it from my expression in the photos! The real highlight, however, came shortly afterwards when Victoria Braathen, the director of Norway Seafood UK, invited me to the Seafood from Norway Inspiration Day. I was intrigued and eager to participate, especially considering Victoria's consistent support for our team, even attending our Ceres Media training day.

Our day kicked off at the prestigious Westminster Kingsway College, a long-time collaborator with Seafood from Norway. After some enlightening sessions, we moved to the Norwegian Ambassador's residence for a networking luncheon that felt as grand as the setting. Lars Moksnes from the Norwegian Seafood Council shared some eye-opening consumer trends (read here) in his "Ocean of Change" presentation. I was honoured to join a panel discussion with Josette Foster, Lars, and Nick Miller.

It was a fantastic opportunity to mingle with this year's winners, hear market updates, gain inspiration for seafood, and learn more about Norwegian seafood. The exchanges with past winners and stakeholders also gave us a preview of what to expect from our upcoming study trip to Norway in June.

Listening to Victoria detail the strong bond between the British fish & chip industry and Norwegian fisheries was particularly enlightening. The tour of Westminster Kingsway College by José Luis Souto was another highlight, where we sampled delicious dishes prepared by students using Norwegian salmon and fjord trout.

The visit to the Norwegian Ambassador's Residence was impressive. The building was as grand as the hospitality, with Ambassador Tore Hattrem welcoming us warmly. The lunch was created by the beautiful team at Mange Catering, working together with the Residence.

- Norwegian Panko-crumbed Haddock with avocado, baby cucumber, pico de gallo, sour cream, pickled red onions, taco croutons, and cilantro.

- Miso Cod served with buckwheat noodles, bok choy, and a ginger dressing.

- Grilled Norwegian Salmon accompanied by English asparagus, sungold tomato, fennel, and tarragon dressing.

- Chettinad Norwegian Halibut Curry with potatoes, tomato, and curry leaf.

- Harissa Roast Cauliflower featuring freekeh, greens, charred spring onion, and parsley oil.

The sharing session with Michel Roux Jr. and Andrew Crook, moderated by James Stagg, was informative and incredibly inspiring. And yes, I'm looking forward to trying the Cod Tripe in Norway!

I can't express enough gratitude to Victoria Braathen, Bojana Dos Santos, Norway Seafood UK, Ambassador Tore Hattrem, Kingsway Westminster College, José Luis Souto, Michel Roux Jr., and everyone involved in making the Seafood from Norway Inspiration Day such a memorable experience. I'm eagerly anticipating our trip to Norway in June. I'm sure this event will be just as enriching and enjoyable.

Why not visit https://www.seafoodfromnorway.co.uk to find out more.

Photo Credit: Norwegian Seafood Council