Some stories do not end with the final page of a book. They live on in people, ideas and actions that inspire others. One such story is that of Mārtiņš Rītiņš, whose legacy is closely connected with the publishing house Vincentbooks.
On 1 November 2026, the inaugural Mārtiņš Rītiņš Annual Award for Excellence was presented in Riga, honouring people whose work shapes Latvia’s gastronomic culture today and its future. Vincentbooks provided financial support for the creation of the award’s distinctive honours — a crow statuette and a commemorative pin — helping bring the concept from an idea to a finished piece.
The crow was chosen as the symbol of the award to honour Mārtiņš’s courage to think differently, challenge convention and question assumptions. The trophy concept was developed by Maija Rozenfelde, partner and creative director at the design agency KID Design. The trophy and crow pin were created by jewellery designer and artist Rasma Pušpure.
The first recipients of the Mārtiņš Rītiņš Annual Award for Excellence are Ieva and Pēteris Langrāti of the family farm “Gardi ziedi”, honoured in the agriculture category; Juris Semjonovs of “Pavāru māja Līgatnē”, in the hospitality category; and Uvis Janičenko, owner and concept creator of the bakery “KŪRE”, in the culinary arts category.
Each recipient received the specially designed crow statuette and pin, along with a trip to gain experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Europe. The Vincentbooks team attended the ceremony to support the organisers and congratulate the first recipients.
The award aims to carry forward what Mārtiņš Rītiņš began — encouraging professional excellence and strengthening respect for agriculture, the culinary arts and the hospitality industry. Its concept also reflects the values at the heart of Vincentbooks: honouring outstanding people and preserving their stories for future generations.
Vincentbooks and the story of Mārtiņš Rītiņš
The VINCENT book series was conceived by entrepreneur Māris Martinsons. His vision was to create a series preserving the biographies of outstanding Latvian figures. The first memoir, “De Profundis – Mārtiņš Rītiņš”, was published in 2021.
“De Profundis” was created in collaboration with linguist Linda Apse, someone close to Mārtiņš. It was a deeply personal and emotional process — conversations brought memories, life events and experiences back to life, sometimes prompting laughter, sometimes tears. The book also revealed aspects of Mārtiņš’s life that he had not always been ready to discuss with others.
The biography was followed by a cookbook, which Vincentbooks created together with Astrīde Rozīte, a close friend of Mārtiņš who also knew him as an exceptional chef. The book captures his culinary mastery, personality, stories and distinctive approach to food. The idea for these two books — a life story and a visually beautiful cookbook that would offer more than a collection of recipes — came from Mārtiņš himself.
Today, Vincentbooks’ connection with Mārtiņš Rītiņš continues in a new dimension. Supporting the creation of the crow statuette and pin is our opportunity to be part of an event that honours the celebrated chef’s values and inspires a new generation of Latvian gastronomy professionals.
Mārtiņš used to say: “Art is always delicious.” These words still capture his view of the world — and remind us that excellence always deserves to be recognised and honoured.
Source: mmnews.eu
