A historic milestone for Lithuanian gastronomy: Lithuania has been invited to the “Bocuse d’Or” world finals for the first time

For the first time in history, Lithuania has been invited to the grand finale of the “Bocuse d’Or,” one of the world’s most prestigious culinary competitions. This is international recognition of the professionalism of Lithuania’s culinary community and the country’s growing visibility. In January 2027, in Lyon, France, the Lithuanian team – comprising Chef Gabrielius Zajac, assistant chef Emilija Strolytė, and coach Justinas Misius – will compete against the world’s strongest teams and will have the opportunity to showcase Lithuanian cuisine, products, and contemporary gastronomic identity to a global audience.

“This is a historic moment for Lithuania. For the first time, we have been invited to the global gastronomy scene, where the world’s best chefs and strongest culinary traditions come together. This invitation is an important international recognition of the work of Lithuanian culinary professionals and, at the same time, an opportunity for all of Lithuania to gain even greater visibility on the world stage. Today, gastronomy is not just about food – it is about culture, a country’s image, tourism, local products, business, and new economic opportunities. We aim to turn this historic recognition into long-term benefits for Lithuania, which is why we are developing a national gastronomic tourism strategy for the first time, which we plan to present by the end of this year,” says Edvinas Grikšas, Minister of Economy and Innovation.

According to the minister, Lithuania’s advancement to the “Bocuse d’Or” finals shows that the country’s gastronomy can be viewed not only as a tourism service, but also as part of Lithuania’s international competitiveness and national image.

“We want people, when they hear about Lithuania, to think not only about our history or nature, but also about what they can taste, discover, and experience here. We have exceptional local products, talented chefs, a strong regional culinary tradition, and an ever-growing number of stories we can share with the world. The ‘Bocuse d’Or’ is one of those opportunities when Lithuania can showcase its ambition and talent to a global audience,” says E. Grikšas.

Gastronomy – a new direction for growth in Lithuanian tourism

A survey of foreign tourists conducted by “Keliauk Lietuvoje” also highlights the potential of Lithuania’s culinary tourism. According to the survey, 78 percent of visitors cite the desire to taste Lithuanian dishes and beverages as one of the most important reasons for choosing Lithuania, and 95 percent rate their experience with traditional Lithuanian cuisine as good or very good.

Efforts are being made to systematically capitalize on this potential. The Ministry of Economy and Innovation, together with the gastronomy community, the tourism sector, and other partners, is developing the first national gastronomic tourism strategy.

It will outline measures to increase the international recognition of Lithuanian gastronomy, reveal the gastronomic potential of the regions, improve the visibility of local products and gastronomic experiences, and strengthen cooperation between the government, the business sector, and the gastronomy community.

“Our goal is for gastronomy to become one of the reasons travelers choose Lithuania, rather than just a pleasant part of their trip. We want more people to discover not only the restaurants of Vilnius or Kaunas, but also regional farms, local producers, traditions, chefs, and authentic experiences. This means more visitors to the regions, greater demand for local products, and more opportunities for Lithuanian businesses,” says E. Grikšas.

Lithuania's path to the world finals

Lithuania’s journey to the “Bocuse d’Or” began in 2023, when the country joined the international competition community. In 2025, the national qualifying round was held in Lithuania for the first time, and Chef G. Zajacas emerged as the winner.

In March 2026, the Lithuanian team represented the country for the first time at the “Bocuse d’Or Europe” qualifiers in Marseille. Following this performance, Lithuania was invited to the competition’s grand final in Lyon.

“Reaching the finals means more to Lithuania than just the opportunity to be among the 24 strongest teams in the world, who will gather at one of the most important international gastronomic stages – it is a unique opportunity to tell our country’s story through food. Contestants are judged on technical mastery, creativity, teamwork, and the ability to convey their country’s gastronomic history through their dishes. The “Bocuse d’Or” grand final will take place on January 24–25, 2027, during the international trade show “Sirha Lyon,” says Darius Katinas, president of “Bocuse d’Or Lithuania.”

For the Lithuanian team, this will be their first appearance in the competition’s final and one of the most important opportunities to date to present the country’s gastronomy to a global audience.

Last updated: 22-09-2026

Related news:

RSI Europe to invest up to €50M in strengthening Lithuania’s defence industry

Public procurement reform to be undertaken during Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the EU

Faster route to investment opens up more opportunities for large-scale projects

Arūnas Šarka Continues as Lithuania's Commercial Attaché in Germany

By invitation of E. Macron, Minister E. Grikšas will represent Lithuania at a space summit in Paris