Chef Tom Griffith represented Brighton at a food festival in Sweden last week.

The visit was part of a four day exchange organised by the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival that included a partnership with the annual Passion For Mat food festival in Gothenburg and also a dinner at the iconic Hvita Hjorten restaurant at Läckö on the shore of lake Vänern in west Sweden.

Passion For Mat is one of Sweden’s largest food events featuring over 100 producers and many of the country’s leading chefs.

“Featuring on the live food show was a great experience,” Tom said.

“I felt totally welcomed by the Swedish chefs – it was like cooking with a bunch of mates.”

Tom found fame with his Flank pop-up kitchen at the Royal Sovereign in Preston Street, Brighton, and will shortly be heading up the kitchen at the new Pascere restaurant opening in Duke Street, Brighton, this summer.

In Gothenburg a tasting menu was created by Swedish host chef Linus Palm, Bas Oonk of Basaal in The Hague, and Tom, that featured around a dozen courses utilising a combination of foraged and locally grown ingredients from the Läckö area.

Tom said: “I have a huge amount of respect for Linus. His extensive knowledge of the local area was truly represented in his food. Working with him was a delight.”

Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival director Nick Mosley said: “Chef exchanges and partnerships with other food festivals around the world are an important aspect of the Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival.

“It allows us to spread the message of Brighton and wider Sussex as a gastronomic tourism destination and quality food and drink producing region. During our Spring Harvest festival in May we’ll be seeing reciprocal visits of chefs from Sweden, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and the Netherlands, alongside a premium wine maker from Germany.”

The next planned international chef exchange is between Michael Bremner of Brighton’s 64 Degrees and Craig Jones of Cap Maison in St Lucia. The Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival’s Spring Harvest runs from May 19 to 29. For more information visit www.brightonfoodfestival.com