The lunch–symposium–competition created in collaboration with Liebherr is truly an event no gastronome should miss. Here we bring together Latvia’s finest chefs and sommeliers, a distinguished jury including Peter Liem and Aigars Nords, and a wonderful group of food lovers – all of you are warmly invited to join!
We will taste twelve different Champagne and food pairings and vote for the best Champagne and food combination of the year!
So what exactly is it?
Chefs + Champagne is a symposium dedicated to the “marriage” of Latvian chefs’ creations and Champagne. Together with an international jury and a community of Champagne lovers, for the second year in a row we will identify the most exciting Champagne and gastronomic pairings.
Concept and production – Riga Wine & Champagne.
Why?
The idea of the symposium is to foster Champagne culture in Latvia by highlighting the role of Champagne in gastronomy. Our vision is for Chefs + Champagne to become a symbolic yearbook, reflecting contemporary Latvia’s understanding of Champagne’s place at the table.
How does it work?
Chef and sommelier pairs will present their ideal Champagne pairing to you, the guests of the event. Each team has 10–12 minutes. In total – twelve wonderful dishes (small portions, no need to worry about overeating!), twelve noble Champagnes, voting, awards, and a beautifully spent time together!
You, our dear guests, will also have the chance to decide the Audience Choice – together voting for the public’s favourite, the best Champagne and food pairing in Latvia!
Which restaurants and sommeliers will delight us?
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Riviera — Chef Jevgēnijs Liskins; Sommelier Ritvars Blūms
Dish: Tiger prawn ravioli — Root vegetables, tiger prawn bisque
Pairing: Champagne Palmer & Co Rosé Solera -
Whitehouse Restaurant — Chef Reinis Čerņajevs; Sommelier Roberts Mārtiņš Felsus
Dish: Lobster tagliatelle — Fresh egg pasta, lobster and Tom Yum bisque, caviar, black truffle
Pairing: 2016 Champagne Paul Clouet Blanc de Noirs Bouzy Grand Cru -
Pavāru Māja, Līgatne — Chef Juris Dukaļskis; Sommelier Juris Semjonovs
Dish: Black salsify with "Soira" hard cheese — Black salsify cream, potato stew, "Soira" cheese mousse, fresh winter truffle
Pairing: Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Orizeaux Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut -
Le Dome Restaurant — Chef Rihards Veide; Sommelier Adrians Švalkovskis
Dish: Bluefin Otoro tuna tartare — Bluefin tuna, pomegranate espuma, sea asparagus, caviar, black sesame
Pairing: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Premier Cru Extra Brut -
Kest — Chef Māris Jansons; Sommelier Zane Ķiģele
Dish: Hot-smoked Latvian eel — Smoked eel, potato, smoked quail egg, chicken skin crisp, truffle sauce
Pairing: Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut -
3 Chefs Restaurant — Chef Pāvels Skopa; Sommelier Elīna Indriksone
Dish: Koji-cured venison tartare — Koji-cured venison, spruce oil emulsion, lacto-fermented gooseberries, beer-marinated onions, potatoes
Pairing: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Premier Cru Extra Brut -
SMØR Bistro — Chef Kaspars Barsukovs; Sommelier Ainārs Reinšmits
Dish: Vol-au-vent with veal sweetbreads and bisque sauce — Pan-fried veal sweetbreads, langoustine bisque with padrón peppers, puff pastry basket
Pairing: 2015 Champagne De Venoge Princes Blanc de Blancs -
36.line Grill Restaurant — Chef Lauris Aleksejevs; Sommelier Zigmārs Kalniņš
Dish: Locally sourced smelt — Smelt, buckwheat brioche, verbena remoulade, green apple "snow"
Pairing: Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Longitude Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut -
Truff le Pig — Chef Rūdolfs Bērziņš; Sommelier Roberts Pauls Mūrnieks
Dish: Fried cod with MOTTRA x Truffle Pig caviar and strained sour cream — Kombu-aged cod fillet, MOTTRA x Truffle Pig caviar, strained lemon sour cream
Pairing: Champagne Brocard Pierre Dits-Lieux -
Wine Collectors — Chef Edmondo Vingris; Sommelier Alex Kravčuks
Dish: McDuck in the Forest — Duck liver pâté, salted wild mushrooms, mushroom sauce
Pairing: Champagne Egly-Ouriet Les Vignes de Vrigny Premier Cru -
Harper Woolf — Chef Ivans Šmigarevs; Sommelier Yunus Emre Colak
Dish: Potato pavé with "Riga Gold" sprats and duck liver mi-cuit — Potato pavé, smoked sprat, duck liver mi-cuit
Pairing: Champagne Roses de Jeanne Côte de Val Vilaine Blanc de Noirs VV/R23 -
BURŽUJS — Chef Renārs Purmalis; Sommelier Gaitis Burba
Dish: Smoky oyster — Smoked oyster, brioche toast, wasabi sour cream
Pairing: Champagne Eric Rodez Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru
Who are the chosen members of the jury?
- Peter Liem (USA, champagneguide.net)
- Aigars Nords (Riga Wine & Champagne)
- Gilles Morisson de la Bassetière (Champagne de Venoge)
- Agnese Gintere (Wine Collectors)
- Maksims Cekots (Max Cekot Kitchen)
- Diāna Goba (Garden Cakes)
- Mārtiņš Pīlēns (bubblebistrot.com, My Wine Basket)
- Madara Biedriņa (gastronomy expert)
"Champagne + Chefs 2026" is part of the Bubble Parade
Hanzas Perons • Hanzas iela 16A, 1045 Rīga, Latvia