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Ainārs Reinšmits of SMØR Modern Bistro wins the Latvian Hospitality Star 2026 title

Ainārs Reinšmits of SMØR Modern Bistro has been named the winner of the professional hospitality industry competition “Latvia’s Hospitality Star 2026”. Now in its fourth year, the competition brings together hospitality professionals to showcase their skills, encourage professional development and strengthen the prestige of the waiter profession in Latvia.

The competition took place on 11 September as part of the Riga Food 2026 food fair at Ķīpsala. The competition format brings together four hospitality professionals, allowing each participant’s performance to be assessed across a range of professional disciplines and in situations designed to reflect a real restaurant environment.

Participants demonstrated their skills in guest service and food service, tested their knowledge of wine and other beverages, and showcased their ability to communicate professionally, respond to different service situations and create a high-quality guest experience.

The participants’ performance was evaluated by five hospitality industry professionals:

Inese Vīcupa, hospitality industry expert and restaurant project developer;
Jānis Jenzis, President of the Latvian Restaurant Association;
Juris Semjonovs, sommelier at Pavāru māja Līgatnē and winner of “Latvia’s Hospitality Star 2025”;
Lauris Grass, beverage culture expert and owner of the cocktail bar Mākonis;
Diāna Ozola, an experienced hospitality professional and long-standing waitress at Café Osiris.

Competition winner Ainārs Reinšmits of SMØR Modern Bistro received a EUR 500 professional development grant, which he can use to further his professional growth. Second place went to Lāsma Romane of Pavāru māja Līgatnē, while Kirils Čupits of SMØR Modern Bistro took third place.

The “Latvia’s Hospitality Star” competition has been organised by Gemoss for the fourth consecutive year in cooperation with the Latvian Restaurant Association and the Pavāru klubs (Chefs’ Club).

The competition is supported by Paynt, a digital tipping solution. Its aim is to showcase the skills of Latvia’s hospitality professionals, encourage professional development and strengthen the prestige of the waiter profession in Latvia.

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