Gunnar Hvarnes

Coming Up

Gunnar Hvarnes began his career as an apprentice at hotel in Gaustablikk, where the foundations of discipline, timing, and kitchen craft were laid in the steady rhythm of hotel life. From there, his path moved outward, widening from local apprenticeship to the demanding arena of international competition and team leadership. He advanced onto the world stage as captain at Norwegian national chef team in Luxembourg (2006), a role that called for focus, composure, and the ability to carry a national standard under pressure. By 2008–2008, he was captain at Norwegian team in Erfurt, continuing a rise marked by precision and calm authority. Those early years tell the story of a chef whose career has never been confined to one station or one style of work. Instead, it has unfolded through responsibility—first as a young apprentice learning the practical realities of the profession, and then as a leader entrusted with representing Norwegian cooking in exacting settings. The trajectory is clear: each step built not just technical confidence, but an understanding of how food can speak on behalf of a country. Today, Gunnar serves as culinary consultant of Gastronomisk Institutt and Culinary Director of Compass Group Norge AS (since 2021), bringing that long accumulation of experience into roles that are as much about guidance as execution. The shift is telling. Having stood at the centre of competition kitchens, he now channels that expertise into shaping others and refining the larger culinary picture.

Where They Are Now

He works as a culinary consultant at Gastronomisk Institutt in Stavanger, where his perspective continues to be guided by a simple, purposeful idea: “The food should be at least half the reason for travelling with Havila Voyages.” The statement captures the heart of his present work, which is less about the individual flourish than the total experience—how a meal can become part of the journey itself, how a traveller remembers a place through taste, texture, and atmosphere. That philosophy is visible in the dishes tied to his name, which read like carefully composed expressions of landscape and craft. Scottish lamb “vitology 2011” is built around saddle of lamb with rosemary-lemon seasoning, lamb sausage, winter vegetables, garden pea tartlet, cassolette of mushrooms and asparagus, and lamb gravy with garlic oil. It is a dish with layers and movement, each element placed to create depth and balance, the sort of composition that invites the diner to travel across a plate. Scottish monkfish “oceans 2011” follows with its own elegant structure: monkfish tail in aromatic crust, mousseline of langoustine, fine tart with avocado and crab meat, potato ravioli with caviar, citrus emulsion, and langoustine reduction. The naming alone suggests a maritime register, and the assembly suggests a chef attentive to contrast, delicacy, and the interplay of richness with brightness. Then there is Cod Sashimi with Garlic Brown Butter Sauce, a dish whose title alone bridges restraint and indulgence. Even without ornament, it speaks to Hvarnes’s interest in making familiar ingredients feel considered, contemporary, and memorable.

Signature

Gunnar's signature dishes include Scottish lamb “vitology 2011, Scottish monkfish “oceans 2011, and Cod Sashimi with Garlic Brown Butter Sauce. Together, they sketch a chef drawn to clarity of concept and precision of execution, with each dish carrying a distinct voice while remaining anchored in the same broader idea: that Norwegian food, presented with care, can be a compelling point of arrival for travellers.

In Their Words “I want to show Norwegian food and drink at its best to the travellers from abroad.” “The food should be at least half the reason for travelling with Havila Voyages.”

Recognition

Gunnar Hvarnes has received Bocuse d'Or Europe silver medal (2010).