Congratulations to Gangstad Gårdsysteri, Britannia suppliers and collaborators, who one The World Cheese Awards 2023 for their Nidelven Blå cheese!

These prominent local cheesemakers were the first authorised farm dairy in Norway. They have been going strong for 25-years and Britannia Hotel is proud to have collaborated on our signature cheese, Britannia Blå, with them! Britannia Blå was developed by the hotel's former Sous Chef, Øivind Tiller, who also collaborated on Nidelven Blå.

Bidelven Blå was selected out of over 4500 cheeses from around the world, from 43 countries, with 264 judges, including an international panel of super judges. A very proud moment for Astrid and her team and for food production in Trøndelag generally. Congratulations!

You can try Gangstad's cheese, including Britannia Blå, at Britannia's breakfast in Palmehaven the hotel recently won the much-coveted award of Best Breakfast in Norway!

Read the following article to find out more about the event, published in the lead up to the World Cheese Awards 2023:

There are few staples in world cuisine which are as omnipresent as cheese. Found in countless shapes and forms, cheese is a product which humans have been experimenting with and perfecting for 1000s of years. Yet today, the industry is still a hive of innovation; a food full of surprises, local varieties and novel experiences. 

At Britannia, cheese plays a big role in the hotel’s food profile and local dairy products are celebrated in all of the menus. These include a wide array of local specialities. The main kitchen has also created unique cheeses with award-winning regional producers, which are available exclusively in the hotel. So it is no surprise that three of the hotel's chefs have even been invited to be part of the panel of international cheese experts to choose the world’s best at this year’s awards.

The World Cheese Awards is the world's largest event dedicated to cheese. It has been operated by the Guild of Fine Foods for the past 30 years and this year, in collaboration with Hanen, the business organisation for local food and rural tourism in Norway, the competition will take place in Trondheim. 

It is the second time the awards have been held in Norway, following Bergen in 2018. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever before:

“When HANEN secured the event for a second time in Norway, it was easy to choose Trondheim as the host city and establish a collaboration with Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke (Trøndelag Food and Drink) as the regional organiser,” explains Bernt Bucher Johansen, the CEO of Hanen.

“The World Cheese Awards in 2018 was in many ways a significant breakthrough for Norway and the country became internationally recognised as a nation of cheese. With this autumn's event, this reputation will be further reinforced, not least for the cheese producers in Trøndelag which will receive extra attention.”

It is another feather in cap for the food region of Trondheim and Trøndelag, which was awarded the distinction of European Region of Gastronomy in 2022. The area has a glittering food reputation and next year has the honour of being the host of Bocuse D’or Europe. The city of Trondheim is also home to no fewer than three Michelin-starred restaurants and was the venue for the Nordic Michelin awards in 2020.

Much of the region’s strength in food production and culinary arts comes from the collaborative environment which is fostered among producers in Trøndelag. A focus on local food, short-travelled products and the creation of a distinct Nordic cuisine, has provided milk farmers with the impetus to share, develop and innovate new cheeses. 

Signature products from regional cheesemakers such Gammel Erik, Eggen Gardsysteri and Gangstad Gårdsysteri have all won the coveted title of ‘Super Gold’ in recent editions of the world cheese awards. Britannia Hotel serves a selection of these local cheeses at its breakfast buffet in Palmehaven each morning, an event which itself has been awarded the title Best Hotel Breakfast in Norway (2022).

Gangstad Gårdsysteri is also the collaborator on the hotel’s own cheese, Britannia Blå, a hybrid of brie and blue cheese, which is milder and goes very well with the breakfast. Blå also won gold in the Cheese Championship in Wales last year. 

The judging at the World Cheese Awards, known as Oste-VM locally, takes place on the first day of the festival (Friday 27^th October) with a panel of 250 experts from around the world. The 4,500 cheeses are narrowed down to 98 Super Golds, which go through to the final to face the judgement of the 16-strong Super Jury. The cheeses are then analysed in front of a live audience, with creaminess, balance, texture, aroma, taste and smell all nosed and probed to discover the year’s overall winner.

Members of the public can purchase tickets to witness the judging and to access the festival area, which will have huge array of tastings, shows, stalls, pop-up restaurants, and kids’ activities. This year, on Saturday 28^thAugust, it is also possible to purchase a World Cheese Tour, which gives a guided tour among the competition cheeses with tasting. Book your time slot early to avoid disappointment!

World Cheese Awards
Friday 27th – Saturday 28th October
Trondheim Spektrum
prices start from 195,- (free for under 16s)

There will also be a lot activity going on in town before and during the awards, including lots of cheese-inspired menus at collaborating restaurants, special events and community activities.

Britannia will be celebrating the World Cheese Awards with special cheese-inspired menus all week;

Brasserie Britannia, 23rd-29th October

Potato Croquette
with forest mushrooms and cheese sauce

Chateaubriand gratin
Gratinated beef tenderloin with truffle cheese, pommes puré, haricot verts and truffle sauce

Mille Feuille
with Kongeost from Hitra

Jonathan Grill, 24th-28th October

Spring onion pancakes with cream cheese and crunchy chilli

Entrecôte with grilled broccolini and airy cheese sauce

Fried Camembert with apple compote

“In connection with the World Cheese Awards, the collaborative partner Tine is also hosting a competition for Restaurant and Food students in high schools, where they are required to create a fresh cheese and a unique dish using a specific alpine cheese from Tine,” says Regional Project Leader Monica Harsvik in Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke.

“Throughout the autumn, Trondheim's restaurants will also showcase Trøndelag cheeses in collaboration with Trøndelag as a culinary destination, so it will gradually become difficult to remain unaware of what will take place at Trondheim Spektrum from October 26th to 28^th!”

Article's main image by Sigrid Erdal / Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke