Simo from Dalen Hotel awarded Strawberry Chef of the Year

Head Chef Simo Pietarinen at Dalen Hotel in Telemark was awarded Strawberry Chef of the Year 2026 this week. The award was presented during the final in Stockholm on February 3, where five of the group's leading chefs competed for the prestigious award.

Strawberry Chef of the Year is held for the second consecutive year and aims to highlight culinary talents. This year's final gathered chefs from five hotels in the Strawberry portfolio, distributed across two Norwegian, two Swedish, and one Finnish hotel. During the final, participants were tasked with composing and preparing a three-course menu within given constraints and limited time.

– It feels absolutely fantastic to receive this award. The competition was at a high level, but most of all it was incredibly inspiring to compete side by side with such talented colleagues, says Simo Pietarinen, head chef at Dalen Hotel.

Pietarinen has worked as a chef for over 15 years and joined Dalen Hotel in February last year. He is also responsible for the menus at Dalen Bryggjekafe and on the boat MS Henrik Ibsen.

Shaped by experience

Pietarinen's stay in Telemark is his first outside Finland, after a career where he has represented his home country in international competitions and developed a distinct expression inspired by Nordic ingredients and French techniques.

– A large part of my inspiration comes from what I have learned along the way from skilled chefs and colleagues. Every single competition, every service, and every little mistake has helped shape me into the chef I am today, Pietarinen explains.

The jury evaluated participants on areas such as taste, creativity, methodology, and final product, highlighting a very high level among the finalists.

– With a strong field, it was no easy task for the jury to choose this year's winner. That it ended up being Simo Pietarinen was well deserved. Simo showed impressive maturity and delivered a final product that oozed creativity and innovation, stated André Johansson, Head of Executive Chef Nordic Countries at Strawberry.

Dalen on the menu

Hotel Director Morten Leite at Dalen Hotel describes the award as an important confirmation of their long-term commitment to food and quality.

– The award is fully in line with the level we aim to maintain at Dalen. The culinary offering is a central part of the overall experience, in harmony with the hotel itself, its history, and our surroundings. The recognition helps to place Dalen even more clearly on the map, even outside Norway's borders.

Leite notes that the award has significant internal meaning and provides a lot of motivation for future work.

– At Dalen, we are a group that really cheers each other on and knows that good collaboration is the most important ingredient in our continued success. Therefore, it is very inspiring for all of us when colleagues perform at such a high level as Simo, concludes a proud hotel director.