Scandinavian smörgåsbord: three star success in Michelin’s Nordic Guide 2016
![Scandinavian smörgåsbord: three star success in Michelin’s Nordic Guide 2016](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DjAy92BnfLp3aeCcnnCRUQ-415-80.jpg)
Years ago, when food professionals would speak in hushed tones of a renaissance brewing in the wilds of Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway, few could have imagined the impact a handful of imaginative kitchens would have not just on their respective cities’ dining landscapes, but on the very self-image of a region unified by a shared culinary history defined by nature and the elements.
Today, New Nordic has become the new standard for cosmopolitan centres and the region’s well-deserved success has been recognised in kind by restaurant authority Michelin, who have awarded the territory with multiple honours and firsts in their latest Nordic Guide, including the region’s inaugural tranche of third stars.
Taking top honours are Copenhagen’s storied Geranium restaurant and Oslo’s Maaemo (headed up by Danes Rasmus Kofoed and Esben Holmboe Bang, respectively), both upgraded from two stars to three. Both serve intensely local and seasonal tasting menus reflective of the region’s subtly bounteous terroir in hushed, almost reverential dining rooms.
Meanwhile, a greater interest and appreciation of the region led the guide’s inspectors to the doorstep of Fäviken Magasinet, in Sweden’s remote northern territories. The restaurant is headed up by chef Magnus Nilsson, whose singular focus on hyper-local ingredients has endeared him to his fellow chefs, critics and now Michelin, who have included Fäviken for the first time, immediately debuting with two stars.
Rachel Burr, the guide’s editor, said: 'Fäviken offers a unique dining experience in the idyllic setting of a remote hunting estate. Cooking here is highly assured and has its essence in the surrounding land'.
A slew of excellent names were also awarded their first stars – including family-run Swedish restaurant Daniel Berlin, RE-NAA in Stavanger and PM & Vänner in Växjö with its sophisticated cuisine based on 'forest, lake and meadow'.
News of the guide’s publication hasn’t been unanimously greeted as positive, however – Noma, the trailblazing Copenhagen restaurant and the recipient of myriad 'World’s Best' accolades, is conspicuous for its lack of a third star, a years-long absence and perceived snub that has led to a growing sense within luxury hospitality that perhaps Michelin’s relevance and influence is not as all-encompassing as it once was.
Fäviken Magasinet is headed up by chef Magnus Nilsson (pictured right), whose singular focus on hyper-local ingredients has endeared him to his fellow chefs and critics
Michelin have taken notice – giving Fäviken an inaugural listing with two stars
Copenhagen’s storied Geranium restaurant (pictured) took top honours, adding another star to its existing two.
Pictured left: Rasmus Kofoed, head chef and co-owner of Geranium.
Pictured: Geranium's biodynamic egg yolk in melted pork fat, pickled beets and infusion of black currant leaves.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Michelin Guide’s website
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
Phaidon’s new Graphic Classics is a lavish greatest hits of graphic design
Graphic Classics is a compendium of seven centuries of visual culture, from the everyday and ephemeral to visionary works that reshaped our world
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Birley Chocolate hits the sweet ’n’ chic spot in London’s Chelsea
The new Birley Chocolate shop, a sibling to Birley Bakery, is a confection of colour as delicious as its finely crafted goods
By Melina Keays Published
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published