The Norwegian Seafood Council is using Norway’s FIFA World Cup campaign to promote Norwegian seafood, highlighting that more than 500kg of fish and shellfish has been shipped to the national team’s training base in the United States.
National team chef Aron Espeland has relocated from Brasserie France in Oslo to Norway’s hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he is responsible for catering for more than 60 players and staff during the tournament.
“The Norwegian players love fish and shellfish, so I can promise they will be served plenty of excellent seafood while they are in the US,” Espeland said.
“We have brought around 500kg of seafood from Norway. The menu includes salmon, trout, saithe, Arctic char, turbot, halibut, king crab, snow crab and langoustines.”
Espeland said the team kitchen serves four meals a day and that nutrition plays an important role in player performance and recovery.
“It is a demanding job to plan and serve four daily meals to more than 60 people over such a long period, but thanks to thorough preparations and fantastic ingredients from Norway, we are ready for the challenge,” he said.
The Seafood Council used the announcement to highlight seafood’s nutritional credentials, including its protein content, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D levels.
The World Cup has also become a platform for some culinary rivalry. Christian André Pettersen, Norway’s representative at the 2027 Bocuse d’Or final, said France remained a leading food nation but drew the line at seafood.
“Like Norway, France has a fantastic food culture and strong traditions, but they do not have the world’s best seafood. We do.”
Norway faces Senegal and France in the group stage of the tournament.