Danish Oyster Festival

At some point, quite a few years ago, Povl Rasmussen, innovator of the Danish Oyster Festival, found himself wondering. Consumers demand sustainable, local goods that are tasty and accessible, he thought. All these factors are present in one particular ingredient: Oysters from the local Wadden Sea situated in the beautiful marshlands of South-Western Denmark. The region is home to some 72,000 tons of invasive oysters, ripe for the picking. Why on Earth are nobody taking advantage, he would ask himself and eventually others.

From this trail of thought, the Danish Oyster Festival was born five years ago. And it has, since then, evolved into a four-day festival dedicated to highlighting the sustainable beauty that is Danish oysters from the Wadden Sea. And showcasing local products, culture and traditions from the boondock region of Denmark that provides so many riches, including a near-limitless supply of oysters.

Starting in 2017 on the island of Rømø at the very western outskirts of the Kingdom of Denmark, the annual festival marks the beginning of the oyster season. In this, the festival’s fifth year, it has expanded from a two to a four day celebration, and geographically across the entire South-Western rural region of Denmark. To a point where it now attracts about 4000 visitors across multiple towns to what is arguably one of the biggest food festival in Denmark.

Fully featured and bigger than ever

Featuring a sprawling program of events, competitions and cultural highlights scattered across multiple towns and locations; including oyster safaris, oyster shucking workshops, introductions to oysters and drink pairings and much, much more, the festival and festivities culminated on Sunday and monday. On these dates, thousands of people descended upon the very birthplace of the spectacle, the island of Rømø, for the traditional oyster shucking championships as well as as the main event, a cooking competition where the prestigious title as Oyster Chef of the Year would be awarded.

In the first major show-off of the day, an ecstatic and engaged crowd clapped and cheered their way through Danish Oyster Cup, the traditional oyster shucking championships, where a visibly surprised Nicklas Friss Vestergaard from Bistroteket in Randers grabbed a well-deserved albeit narrow victory after a heated neck-to-neck race to first place.

He and his nearest competitor, Mathias Nørskov from Madklubben Aarhus proved equally fast in shucking oysters, but Vestergaard was awarded the victory as his oysters on the day were simply more presentable and had fewer flaws. Perhaps surprisingly so, as the happy winner readily announced that he had spent very little actual time practicing, but had learned his technique studying others on Youtube.

Oyster Chef of the Year - Exploring the versatility of oysters

For the main event, 23 chefs from Denmark, Germany and Belgium battled their way for the prestigious title of Oyster Chef of the Year.The impressive array of contestants included familiar crowd favorites such Emilie Qvist Kjærgaard from Danish TV fame and Restaurant Medvind and former captain of the National Danish culinary team Nicolas Min Jørgensen. Even talent from established Michelin-starred restaurants such as Alchemist and Jordnær had made it to Rømø, along with entirely new talent from near and far who were still looking to make a name for themselves.

Indeed, for the chefs present, whether established champions of their trade or completely new talent, it proved a fun but tough race to the top of the podium. A race overseen and judged by the likes of star chefs Rasmus Munk, Eric Vilgaard and former Bocuse d’Or Gold Winner Kenneth Toft Hansen.

The name of the game, quite simply was to create the best possible dish using local oysters, of course, but also highlighting local ingredients and factoring in other core values of the festival: innovation, terroir and sustainability.

At the end of the day, however, it was the young, ambitious and very popular Nicolaj Møller from Treetop in Vejle who emerged victorious from the talented ranks to claim the title of Oyster Chef of the Year. His winning oyster dish - already a fan favorite at his restaurant, he revealed - featuring cucumber, dill, horseradish and wasabi ice cream blew the judges away. And it earned him not only the grand prize but also a special award as winner of best savory oyster dish.

Meanwhile in the dessert kitchen, the wizard’s apprentice and past winner of Kartoffelprisen 2020 Magnus Carlsen from Alchemist took home an award for best sweet preparation of oysters. His equally impressive and mind-boggling winning display featured oyster ice cream made from local cream, salt caramel, woodruff from local forests, Talisker Whisky, grapefruit gell and mirabelle plums. Oysters, till very recently were completely unknown of in deserts but as the ever humble winner so rightfully put it. “There are no limits as to what you can do with food. Only obstacles to overcome.”

A day full of winners

Even as Nicolaj and Magnus took on the roles of clear crowd favorites, many also pointed to Danish culinary institution Falsled Kro as worthy of bringing home an award on the day. And indeed, the Danish culinary pioneers, lead by Martin Peter Leth, took home the new Oyster sustainability award for their beautiful display of local and sustainable oysters, lamb, shrimp and dill. While, in another beautifully shocking upset, Jonas Harboe, Stammershalle Badehotel on the remote island of Bornholm took home an innovation award with little to no preparation. In fact, Jonas had only signed up for the contest on the very day of the competition after having participated in oyster shucking events over the previous days. "Actually, we are merely here to have fun and celebrate oysters,” said the surprised winner of the innovation award to Danish newspaper JV. “I am fascinated by how many things you can do with oysters, well, and here we are to enjoy the ride," he continued, cementing that for him, and many of his peers, the day was first and foremost about having fun and paying tribute to the most beautiful of ingredients.

Whether predictable victories or beautiful upsets, Danish Oyster Festival 2021 proved full of winners. But some more than others. After all, on a day full of winners, following three prior days of constant celebration, culture and flavors, the biggest winner of them all was perhaps the marsh lowlands of South-Western Denmark. The often overlooked tracts of land that drew so many dedicated souls across four short days to celebrate its cultural heritage, its culinary heritage, its unique, local and sustainable ingredients. And, of course, its absolute treasure and no longer so closely guarded secret: the Wadden Sea Oysters.