From kitchen to podium: Emīls Skalbergs becomes the Latvian Chef of the Year at the Riga Food 2025!

The most gifted and courageous chefs from all over Latvia traditionally gathered at the Riga Food trade fair to show off their winning culinary skills. This year, the competition trophy, the title of the Best Chef in Latvia in 2025 and travelling Reaton Golden Ladle, was won by John’s Emīls Skalbergs.

Emīls Skalbergs scored 746, leaving a sizeable gap to his other opponents. 2025 Best Chef of the in Latvia finals took place on 5 September in Ķīpsala. Finalists included Juris Niklāvs Dūze (731 points), Raivis Smirnovs (568 points) from the restaurant TAILS, Aleksandrs Šindors (564 points) from restaurant Faces and Ruturaj Patel from Brandīns.

Emīls Skalbergs graduated from Ogre Technical College in 2017. This talented young chef is now at the helm of John’s kitchen. He has worked hard and with dedication to be where he is now. For more than 10 years, Emīls meticulously honed his skills in various restaurants here and abroad.

The title of the Best Apprentice Chef 2025, and the Reaton Wooden Ladle, went to Rota Gundega Klētniece from restaurant Ferma, leaving Juris Niklāvs Dūze from restaurant Ferma in the 2nd place and Raivis Smirnovs fromTails in third.

Last year, the competition was won by the youngest ever contestant Agate Batraga, who worked for the restaurant Ferma at the time. In previous years, Best Chef 2025 has been won by various prominent Latvian chefs, such as Raimonds Zommers, Māris Jansons, Ina Poliščenko, Dinārs Zvidriņš, Nils Ģēvele and others. Dinārs Zvidriņš has actually won the tile three times – in 2017, 2018 and 2021, therefore, Bocuse d’Or Europe Latvian committee decided to select him as the Latvian representative for the competition. This will be Dinārs’ third time representing Latvia internationally and on the European stage.

Best Chef in Latvia will mark its 20th anniversary in 2026. Over the years, it has evolved into an award that celebrates the talent of Latvian chefs, promoting the overall development of culinary culture and innovations.

Competition Best Latvian Chef and Best Latvian Apprentice Chef is organised by the association Chefs’ Club. This association was established and still strives to facilitate the growth of culinary culture in Latvia, while also supporting the participation of Latvian chefs in international competitions. Riga Food has become an important stepping stone for many chefs, leading to new and successful professional collaborations and career paths.

Photos: Sergejs Skripa, Ieva Makare