Denmark took home several stars at the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 2021
The Michelin Guide Nordic Countries 2021 covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden was unveiled 13 September at the Stavanger Concert Hall in Norway. Here, Danish restaurants took home several of stars coveted by many chefs but bestowed upon to an excellent few.
The Danish restaurant noma with co-owner and head chef René Redzepi has been awarded a third Michelin star and has thus received the highest honor that can be awarded in the Michelin guide.
In addition, the restaurant Kong Hans Kælder received its second Michelin star after 38 years. It was the first restaurant in Denmark to receive a Michelin star in 1983.
Finally, Denmark now has four new Michelin stars. They are The Samuel in Copenhagen, Substans in Aarhus, LYST in Vejle and Syttende in Sønderborg. In total, Denmark has 38 Michelin stars in 27 restaurants – that is three stars more than last year in one more restaurant.
Beyond traditional
Not only traditional Michelin stars were awarded. Four special prizes were also given during the evening, two of which went to Denmark.
René Redzepi from noma received the special award for mentor of the year, while the award for young chef talent of the year went to Christoffer Sørensen from restaurant Stud!O.
A sustainable mindset
Among the nine restaurants who received a Michelin green star symbolised by a green five-leaf clover for sustainability, six of them were Danish.
In that way, the restaurants were recognised for their sustainable credentials. This aligns with Denmark’s reputation as a leading gastronomic destination which has grown out of a culture for sustainability, cooperation and science along with an increased terroir awareness and organic mindset.
The history of Michelin
Not everyone knows the first Michelin guide in 1900 was a road guide for motorists, mapping out repair shops, replacement instructions and such – food did not play a big part in it until later. But as motorists travel throughout the country, they need to eat. And so, the Michelin guide began to rate and review restaurants, catering to those looking for a great meal. The idea spread throughout Europe and the world – the rest is history.
Restaurants may receive zero to three stars for the quality of their food based on five criteria: quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in his cuisine, value for money and consistency between visits.
1 Star: A very good restaurant in its category.
2 Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour.
3 Stars: Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.
You can see a list of all Danish Michelin-awarded restaurants here.
Source: The Michelin Guide