Polish-countryside, grandmother and mushrooms: three words important to Maître Rôtisseur Desirée Jaks. An ambitious student Chef, now 28, Desirée is well-known amongst Chefs. That she’s a woman is of no consequence “I am a Chef”, states Desirée.

Memories and experiences from her grandmother’s farm in the Polish countryside inspire her. Abundant supplies of mushrooms enable endless delicious dishes. Polish pierogies (small dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a filling) are one of Desirée’s favourite dishes. She likes to cook venison and freshwater fish like carp.

Having moved to Sweden Desirée attended a restaurant college which was very focused on competitions. Her second year began with Young Eco-chefs. Desirée worked as a “runner” in the world final of Bocuse d’Or in her third year: hard work and great experience.

Later Desirée became a member of the Swedish Junior National Team. She won Nordic Young Chef of the Year. “A fun competition with secret ingredients. You cannot prepare which makes a real challenge”.

Life could have been different had Desirée followed in the footsteps of her gardening maternal grandmother. Interested in numbers Desirée has a backup plan as an economist. “I need to cook,” she explains, “it gives me peace and tranquillity”.

Desirée doesn’t work with imported foods. She avoids additives otherwise eats everything. Favourite food? Mushrooms then cucumber. Desirée never stops learning: on her wish-list a hunting degree and increased wine knowledge. In her spare time Desirée travels to learn more about food. A priority is New Zealand with its distinctive nature; Nice with its Italian-French restaurants.

Desirée’s latest achievement is winning the prestigious Swedish competition 2023 Chef of the Year. Currently, she is training for Culinary Olympics Gold with The Swedish Chef National Team. Desirée is good competing individually and in teams.

“You have to trust yourself in an individual competition where nobody can help you if things go wrong. It is completely different competing in a group and solving problems together” she explains. A former Culinary Team Leader advised her to “think of it like a day at work.” That helped a lot.

Desirée wants to be understood as a generous leader. It’s important to support young colleagues. She wants to be fair, flexible, keeping up with innovation and urges younger ones to scrutinize themselves instead of always comparing themselves to others. “I want my voice be heard for future progress of the industry where we can work sustainably along the entire chain in order appeal to new generations”.

Despite a full agenda Desirée is always smiling. “Go on, just go on”, she encourages.

A former boss at a Michelin-starred restaurant has mentored her. When the restaurant closed she moved to the rooftop restaurant Spesso in Stockholm. As Chef and now also creative leader Desirée has managed to put her mark on both food and working methods. Her wild boar ragout attracts guests from near and far.

When asked about her future Desirée replies “I want my own restaurant within five years”.

When this happens we will be served delicious food prepared by cheerful chefs served by staff with a smile on their faces.

Catarina Offe
Conseiller Gastronomique

Translated into English by Margareta Henry, Chargée de Missions Honoraire