From Baltic Foodservice Leaders to Global Plates: Reaton Food Showcases Culinary Excellence

It was both an honour and a privilege for The Chefs’ Forum to be invited to Lithuania by Reaton Food, the largest importer of culinary ingredients, products and premium produce across the Baltics, for two exceptional days of masterclasses celebrating global cuisine, innovation and craftsmanship, held at the LITEXPO exhibition venue in Vilnius.

Held on the main stage, in collaboration with Daba Expo, who provided real-time translation of the demonstrations in English into Lithuanian and Latvian, the programme of exceptional chef demonstrations featured an impressive international line-up of chefs and producers, each showcasing their unique culinary philosophy and technical skills.

“From Tides to Table: The Gillardeau Oyster Legacy” was an excellent presentation of the world-leading oyster producer, to explorations of Mediterranean small plates, Asian fusion, and sustainable gastronomy, the event celebrated a diverse itinerary of contemporary global food culture and trends.

A wonderful highlight for The Chefs’ Forum was the chance to showcase the expertise of Celebrity Chef Surjan Singh, popularly known as Chef Jolly (UK), whose sessions on Asian fusion and international cuisines captivated audiences throughout both days. Chef Jolly delivered an elevated take on street food staples, including wheat paratha, dosa with coconut chutney, and millet and lentil breads, reimagined through a fine-dining perspective.

By “elevated,” this was not simply a matter of presentation, but of ingredient synergy and culinary storytelling. In a bold and memorable twist, Chef Jolly paired these traditional dishes with world-class Gillardeau oysters, Ovation Lamb shanks from New Zealand, truffle products from TartufLanghe and Menu, as well as Risso light cream from Vandemoortele, demonstrating a refined balance between robust spice profiles and the impressive range of produce and ingredients showcased at Reaton’s 28th ‘Professional Days’ event.

“It was an absolute pleasure to be here in Lithuania and to work with such outstanding produce and ingredients,” said Chef Jolly. “Explaining the complexity of spice combinations while reformulating recipes to incorporate stunning Gillardeau oysters challenged us creatively, but the results were extraordinary. These are, without question, some of the finest oysters we’ve ever tasted.”

Compère and Chefs’ Forum Founder, Catherine Farinha, echoed this sentiment, emphasising the educational and cultural exchange at the heart of the event:

 “What stood out was the way Chef Jolly translated deeply rooted street food traditions into something globally relevant, while still honouring their origins. The integration of premium ingredients and produce elevated the conversation around the fusion of Baltic cuisine with traditional and regional Indian flavours. I am also very grateful to Chef Jolly for mentoring my youngest son and student chef, Riel Farinha, over the three days we were in Lithuania, during his first experience of working at a large food show. Riel loved helping Chef Jolly out with prep on day one and assisting with his demos on stage – Wonderful memories made!”

The event also provided an opportunity to reconnect with valued international partners. It was a pleasure to meet the team from Alaska Seafood, whose UK colleagues The Chefs’ Forum regularly collaborate with. Their showcase of wild, sustainable seafood was particularly impressive.

“The quality of the Alaska salmon was exceptional,” noted Reaton Development Chef, Rolands Kirstens. “That vibrant red colour is a true marker of its natural diet of crabs and environment, and the flavour absolutely delivered. It was wonderful to have Ksenia Gorovaia on stage with me to tell the story behind the fishermen and the wonderful people behind this sushi and sashimi grade product. The Wild Alaska Black cod was hands-down the best I have ever worked with.”

Chef Kirsteins demonstrated this skill with his elegant dish of Alaska Wild Salmon and Alaska Black Cod mosaic, paired with fresh cucumber and a wasabi dressing. The dish was both visually striking and technically precise, allowing the purity and unmatched quality of the fish to shine.

Sustainability was another key theme across the two days, exemplified by Juris Dukaļskis of Pavāru Māja (Chef’s House), Latvia, the first restaurant in the country to be awarded a Michelin Green Star.

“It’s about respecting every part of the ingredient,” Juris explained. “Our philosophy is rooted in a nose-to-tail, root-to-leaf approach. In our Jerusalem artichoke dessert, we use the entire plant  and even incorporate acorns to create something that is both sustainable and deeply connected to our landscape.”

Chef Juris’ session, “From Nature to Plate,” provided a powerful reminder of the role chefs have in creating more responsible and sustainable food systems, without sacrificing creativity or flavour.

Another highlight was catching up with International Pastry Judge, Franciane Tartari, who kindly introduced us to Head of Marketing for Reaton and Event Organiser, Vija Tirzmale three years ago. This is the third Professional Days event on which The Chefs’ Forum has supported.

Franciane said

“It is always a pleasure to travel to the Baltics to support the Lithuanian Chefs and Confectioners Association and judge the Pastry Chef of the Year competition. The standard this year was exceptional, and the winner, Vidą Barinovienę, stole the show with her outstanding vegan dessert and quince dessert, served with quince wine, a very popular fruit in Lithuania. A wonderful experience as ever, and great to catch up with Chef Jolly and the team at The Chefs’ Forum.”

Throughout both days, Reaton Food organised a ‘meet the producer’ event that not only showcased top-tier culinary talent, ingredients, tastings, and cultural exchange, but also important dialogue between chefs, producers, manufacturers, food marketing institutes, and industry leaders.

The Chefs’ Forum is proud to have been part of such an inspirational programme and looks forward to further strengthening food business and culinary corridors across the Baltic region and beyond.

Photography by Carlos Farinha @carlosclickuk