Life is too short to worry
Christian Wellendorf was only 21 years old when in 2019 he won gold at the Bocuse d’Or, the unofficial world championship for chefs. Two years earlier, he had been headhunted for the position as commis – chef assistant – by Kenneth Toft-Hansen, who wanted him on the team.
“I said ‘yes’ on the spot,” Christian Wellendorf recounts.
His culinary career has almost only moved upwards since he, at 16, began his apprenticeship as a chef at restaurant Babette in Vordingborg.
“I am empathetic, focused, and ambitious as a person, and that is also expressed in my professional work,” says Christian Wellendorf.
He lives by a relatively simple principle: He always wants to be the best version of himself.
“I see no reason why one should not constantly ask oneself: ‘What can I do better?’ and ‘What can I sharpen?’,” he says.
In the four years it takes to become a chef, Christian Wellendorf participated in 16 competitions, including the Danish Championships in Skills, the Danish Championships for chef students, and the Olympics for junior chefs. All competitions resulted in gold.
The competitions, according to Christian Wellendorf, help make him sharper as a chef and improve his ability to think quickly and clearly. When you often have to perform – both as a chef and in competitions – it is important for Christian Wellendorf to be in balance.
“I don’t want to worry. I think life is too short for that. So it’s very important for me to be in balance. Otherwise, you can’t withstand the pressure,” he says.
Today, Christian Wellendorf is the team captain for the Danish national culinary team, part of the Danish Gastronomic Union. He occasionally hears that at 24, he is young for such a position, but he doesn’t see it that way.
“I think it’s cool to be young and be a team captain. I feel I have the skills, and one of my strengths is definitely putting together the right team. On the national culinary team, it’s important that everyone has their place, and I have a bird’s-eye perspective and can figure out how we do everything the best way possible,” he says.
He also thinks he contributes many things on a human level:
“I have a lot of energy socially. I know a lot about food, and I have extensive experience with competitions. Additionally, I have a clear goal for how we should do things. I don’t think age matters much when you have the skills that make you worthy of the job.”
We Ask – Christian Answers
Listen to Christian Wellendorf talk about his path to the national culinary team, his best memory from the kitchen, and find out what his favorite dish is.
Education?
I graduated as a chef from restaurant Babette in 2017.
Why did you become a chef?
I’ve always loved food, and it has been the focal point for me in many ways. I have fond childhood memories of fishing with my father or picking berries with my grandfather. I also remember joking with my grandmother when I came home with hands stained red from berry juice, because it looked like blood. We made pancakes and ate them with homemade raspberry jam. I gradually found out that cooking made me happy and that I could make others happy with my cooking.
After primary school, I had to decide whether I wanted to go to a continuation school and play football or go to what you might call a “home economics school.”
I chose a home economics continuation school in Sorø because I thought there was a better chance of becoming a chef than a professional football player.
At 16, I started my chef apprenticeship. It was wild, suddenly being out on your own and having responsibility for your own life. But I thought the culinary world was the coolest.
What was your path into the Danish national culinary team?
I participated in many competitions when I was a young chef, and it always went well. I was – and am – at an age where I wanted to do a lot and wanted to build even more knowledge. I think it’s great to compete, and I’ve always had the mindset that it’s important to improve and that it’s important to always perform your best. At the same time, I’ve played a lot of football in my life, and I’ve always had a competitive gene in me.
I was asked if I wanted to be the team captain, and I saw that as a huge honor. I also think that joining the national culinary team was yet another milestone.
My big ambition is to lead the national culinary team to a top-top placement in the competition in November 2022. I would like to see the Danish national culinary team become one of the best in the world.
In some eyes, it might seem a bit young to be my age and be a team captain. But I would never say yes to a job if I wasn’t up to the task. I feel I have a lot to offer, and I have the right skills. I can look at the team, find the best teammates, and figure out how we do it best.
What is your best memory from the kitchen?
I entered my first competition when I had been an apprentice for nine months, and against all odds, I won. It was so amazing, and it really ignited a spark in me.
I live by the principle that you owe it to yourself to be the best version of who you can be. I see no reason why you shouldn’t always ask yourself, “What can I do better?”. That’s why I’m so happy to participate in competitions because it sharpens me.
In total, I participated in 16 competitions in the four years I was an apprentice. In such competitions, you learn to think quickly and clearly and to tackle unknown and suddenly arising problems. Therefore, I believe they have made me a much better chef.
I’m actually rarely nervous when I’m at a competition. I’m filled with adrenaline, but I’m not nervous as such. The pressure doesn’t bother me, and I’m good at shutting out everything I don’t need in the moment.
What do you see as the highlight of your career?
Winning the Bocuse d’Or in 2019, where I won the award for the world’s best commis – meaning chef assistant. It was amazing! The word that best describes the feeling is “euphoria.”
Kenneth Toft-Hansen (from Svinkløv Badehotel, ed.) had called me and asked if I wanted to join as a commis. I didn’t hesitate at all to say “yes”. I was both part of the 2018 European Championship, where I was named Europe’s best commis, and then at the world championship in 2019, where I received the commis award, but also stood at the top of the podium with the whole team when we won the Bocuse d’Or.
You can never count on winning a competition, but you can hope and believe in it. But I won, and it was a big pat on the back. It was a confirmation that it pays to believe in yourself and work hard.
I’m also very humble about it. I think one almost has to be. It was a competition filled with the world’s best, most talented chefs, whom I have great respect for. And then we were the best.
What dish do you like to make the most?
I can’t really name a single dish. For me, the most important thing is that it is beautiful and simple. And that it is made with good ingredients.
What dish do you cook most often in your own kitchen?
My girlfriend loves spaghetti carbonara, so I make that quite often.
Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I am French-trained, with the famous Nordic twist. That’s where I have my learning methods, so that’s probably my favorite cuisine.
The French cuisine has a base, some basic techniques, and an authenticity. I like that.
What is your favorite dish?
I love Christmas food. It’s not so much because of the food, but it’s the atmosphere around the meal and the evening. It’s anticipation, joy, care, and togetherness – combined with a quite delightful meal.
What is your favorite ingredient?
Fresh fish. I grew up by the sea, and for me, there is something about it being fresh and blue. It’s as natural as anything can be. As long as it’s fresh, it’s good enough for me.
One thing you always have in the fridge?
I always have garlic, lemon, and white wine.
Your last good dining experience out?
Geranium. Everything was fantastic, especially the details. Everything was thought of. It was a great experience.
Do you have a favorite restaurant?
I’m a big fan of restaurant Uformel, and I also really like Barabba.
A good piece of advice for others who want to follow your path?
In short, you have to prioritize. What is it you want? If you want to train to be a chef, it’s four years of your life. Make it your first priority. When your master asks for help or asks if you can do something specific, you say “yes”.
If you want to go far, education should be your first priority. Your second priority might be friends and partner. Third priority is your family, and fourth priority is a leisure activity.
When I was an apprentice, I had a clear priority list. I knew I wanted to be the best version of myself. I chose to spend all my time on my education. I talked to friends, family, and my then-girlfriend about it and said that I wanted to prioritize my chef education and that I needed their support. For me, it meant that when I had to work, that was what I had to do. And if I was asked if I could help, work came first.
It might sound tough, but once you have a priority list, you have a plan. Then you know what it is you need to do.
Facts
Name: Christian Wellendorf
Age: 24 years
Region: Zealand
Christian Wellendorf is trained from restaurant Babette and has subsequently worked at Falsled Kro. Among other things, he has won the Danish Championship in Skills and the award as the world’s best commis (assistant) at the Bocuse d’Or in 2019.
Christian Wellendorf is currently the team captain of the Danish national culinary team, part of the Danish Gastronomic Union. He is also a consultant for Bocuse d’Or Denmark and co-owner of the catering company “Babette Fine Dining,” which is under development.
Follow Christian Wellendorf on Instagram at @christian_wellendorf.
You can read more about the national culinary team on their website and on Instagram at @kokkelandsholdet.
Photo: Jesper Rais