On Monday, February 23, the Riga restaurant "Whitehouse" (Tērbatas iela 2) will for the second time become the venue of the competition "Wine + Dessert Latvia 2026", where the best compatibility of wine and desserts is determined. Spectators are invited to attend the event, support their favorite teams and familiarize themselves with the competition's dessert and wine pairings.
This year, 13 teams have registered to participate in the competition, which will present dessert and wine pairings created by the authors. The competition will gather an internationally recognized jury from the world of gastronomy and wine, which will include René Frank, the chef and founder of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant CODA in Berlin, as well as the multiple winner of the title of the world's best pastry chef, Raymond Thomson, the world's best sommelier in 2023 and one of the most important figures in the modern wine industry, as well as Amy Wislocki, the magazine Decanter editor with more than 25 years of experience in international wine journalism.
This is the only competition of its kind in the world, during which the country's leading confectioners and sommeliers will present desserts created by authors paired with carefully selected wines.
This year, leading Latvian restaurants will participate in the competition, including "36.line Grill Restaurant", "Whitehouse", "3 chefs restaurant", "Stage 22 Bar & Restaurant", "Pavāru māja", "Harper Woolf", "Light House Jūrmala" and others. Last year's winner, the restaurant "KEST", has also confirmed its participation in this year's competition.
The "Wine + Dessert Latvia 2026" competition will be held in cooperation with the Latvian Wine Association and the "Chefs Club". "There are no equivalent competitions in the world, and it is especially nice to see that Latvia continues to be a part of this initiative," says Raimonds Thomsons.
Teams consisting of chefs, pastry chefs, sommeliers and wine experts will present the dessert accompanied by wine. The compatibilities of the competition will be assessed not only by the members of the jury, but also by the participants of the competition and the spectators of the event. "Participation in the competition is a kind of professional workshop for the teams, where knowledge and enthusiasm are exchanged with the best confectioners and sommeliers of the country. It promotes the development of dessert culture and contributes to a greater diversity of sweet wines in the local market," explains Arūns Starkus, president of "Wine + Dessert International". "Our long-term goal is to make the Baltic States a leading region in dessert culture and renew interest in sweet wines."
The contest will end with awards for the three best matches, as well as with the presentation of special prizes, including "Best Latvian dessert" and "Easiest match".
What awaits the audience at the event?
The "Wine + Dessert Latvia 2026" competition will offer viewers the opportunity to get to know the process of creating high-level gastronomic matches. Visitors will be able to follow the presentations of the teams on stage, watch the preparation of desserts and during the event taste individual wine and dessert pairings created by the contestants. The informal format of the event allows you to freely move around the venue, support your favorite teams and join the program at a convenient time. Tickets are available here.