A representative of Estonia’s new generation of entrepreneurial chefs, Ken Trahv has founded three restaurants and five street food venues in just five years – one of the few who managed to expand rather than close his businesses during the pandemic.
Founder and co-owner of Kampus, Pompei, Humal, Parallel, and the street food brand Kauss, Ken serves as the executive chef overseeing the entire N58 Hospitality Group, which operates across Southern Estonia.
He began his culinary journey under Tõnis Siigur at Noa Chefs Hall, a restaurant that has held a Michelin star for several consecutive years. During his vocational studies, he also completed an internship in Denmark at Restaurant Relae, which was likewise Michelin-starred and repeatedly featured in San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
A strong advocate for combining creativity with culinary foundations, Chef Trahv believes that innovation stems from mastering tradition. Reflecting on his participation in the European Young Chef Award 2025, he remarked:
“I’ve always told my chefs and trainees that before you can reinvent a dish or tell your own story through food, you must first master the classics of national cuisines and understand the authenticity of your own culinary heritage. That’s what this competition is truly about — meaningful cooking and strong technique. Think of it as one small step toward achieving your bigger dreams and ideas, and most importantly, enjoy the moment.”
About IGCAT’s European Young Chef Award
The European Young Chef Award is an annual competition organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. Selected each year through local contests, finalists to the European Young Chef Award compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients.
About the World & European Regions of Gastronomy
The World Regions of Gastronomy and the European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT is the official secretariat for the World Region of Gastronomy and the European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Foodie Websites Award and the international Food Film Menu.
