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GASTRONOMY
 01
A NEW MILLENNIUM WITH NEW NORDIC CUISINE
 02
FROM NICHE TO MAINSTREAM CATEGORY
 03
THE MATCHLESS TASTE OF THE DANISH TERROIR
 04
COLLABORATING TO BUILD A CULINARY FUTURE
 05
GASTRONOMY WITH A SUSTAINABLE MINDSET
 06
A STRONG REPUTATION FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
Group 00
GASTRONOMY
 01
A NEW MILLENNIUM WITH NEW NORDIC CUISINE
 02
FROM NICHE TO MAINSTREAM CATEGORY
 03
THE MATCHLESS TASTE OF THE DANISH TERROIR
 04
COLLABORATING TO BUILD A CULINARY FUTURE
 05
GASTRONOMY WITH A SUSTAINABLE MINDSET
 06
A STRONG REPUTATION FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
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GASTRONOMY

THE DIVERSE AND HIGHLY SPECIALISED COMPETENCES OF THE DANISH FOOD CLUSTER

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When Danish gastronomy broke free of the norms

Denmark has always been known for bacon, butter and biscuits. But, if anyone had said 20 years ago that Denmark was destined to be the hub of a Scandinavian gastronomical awakening based on local ingredients, then many would have laughed out loud.

Nevertheless, this is what happened.

 

Since the Manifesto for New Nordic Cuisine was conceived in 2004, restaurant kitchens have driven the transformation – backed by agriculture, food manufacturers and the political system.

Today, the world associates Denmark with high gastronomic quality – a position we aim to maintain through hard work and innovative playfulness.

Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs are a guiding light for establishing best food production practices, prioritising research and development efforts and identifying innovation targets that will drive us towards a sustainable future.

Across the Danish food cluster, companies, organisations and stakeholders aim to make an active contribution.

That includes the influential restaurateurs behind the Danish Restaurateurs’ Guarantee Association, a collaboration committed to social, environmental and economic sustainability.

A NEW MILLENNIUM WITH NEW NORDIC CUISINE

THE FOUNDING OF MODERN DANISH GASTRONOMY

Actions to change attitudes

Since the early 2000s, the New Nordic movement has inspired many successful speciality products, made possible by the Danish climate, soil and agricultural traditions.

In 2004, the Manifesto for New Nordic Cuisine was initiated by the Danish gastronomic entrepreneur Claus Meyer and signed by twelve Nordic chefs.

Together, they agreed on ten principles for hygiene, seasonal produce, ethics, health, sustainability and quality. The aim was to take actions that could change attitudes.

The first action was Copenhagen’s Restaurant Noma, which went on to become four-times winner of the World’s Best Restaurant award.

The number of times Danish top chefs have won gold at Bocuse d’Or, the unofficial world culinary championship

Danish restaurants hold 44 Michelin stars between them – more than in any other Nordic country

%

of international tourists highlight good restaurants as a reason to visit Denmark

Food Nation’s Stories by Denmark

Denmark has joined the great gastronomic nations of the world over the past two decades. But what are the secrets behind that rapid rise to stardom? Listen to the Food Nation podcast and find out.

FROM NICHE TO MAINSTREAM CATEGORY

HOW DENMARK BECAME AN ORGANIC WORLD CHAMPION

Denmark has come a long way since the days when organic food was seen as a hippie invention.

Today, we are proud to be an organic world champion. In our supermarkets, the category accounts for almost 13% of sales – and growing.

More than 25 years since its launch, the red ‘Ø’ label on organic food products enjoys a high level of trust among consumers.

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in four Danish consumers buy organic food at least once a week.

The Organic Cuisine Label

Organic food has also gained a strong position in Denmark’s professional kitchens. Public and private kitchens use the Organic Cuisine Label to brand the amount of organic products they use. The label comes in three levels from 30% to 100% organic.

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More chefs cook with organic produce

In 2007, the Copenhagen city authority decided that food purchases in public canteens should be 90% organic by the end of 2020 – a goal that was reached and is still maintained by more than 900 kitchens.

Due to budgetary limitations, the transformation required a major overhaul of the way food is purchased and prepared – with a positive knock-on effect on food waste.

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THE MATCHLESS TASTE OF THE DANISH TERROIR

EVERY SEASON, EVERY PLACE IS RIPE WITH NATURE’S SPECIALITIES

The secrets of soil, sea and climate

The Danish terroir stretches far to the north and is something special. North Atlantic fish and seafood from around Greenland and the Faroe Islands are widely regarded as some of the best in the world. The Danish countryside provides more gastronomic opportunities.

Denmark has a strongly seasonal climate with lots of light in the summer but rarely intense heat. Because the country is surrounded by water, the winters are generally mild.

These conditions ensure the slow growth of Danish crops and their intense flavour development.

Many initiatives are strengthening awareness of products and produce with location-specific characteristics. The Slow Food movement, producer networks, farm shops and New Nordic cuisine all contribute.

COLLABORATING TO BUILD A CULINARY FUTURE

KNOWLEDGE SHARING IS INVALUABLE

- AND THE DANISH WAY TO INNOVATION

Collaboration across borders

When memorable gastronomy is served in the best restaurants, it is all down to the close cooperation in the kitchens. Outside the restaurants, there is also a strong desire for open, cross-disciplinary collaboration around gastronomy.

Chefs, food artisans, farms and fisheries, food manufacturers, retailers and distributors, scientists and teachers, politicians and authorities come together for invaluable knowledge sharing.

By listening to each other and profiting from each other’s capabilities, they strengthen Danish gastronomy.

GASTRONOMY WITH A SUSTAINABLE MINDSET

SOLVING GLOBAL CHALLENGES IN THE KITCHEN AND BEYOND

Staying ahead – by taking responsibility

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Energy Architecture Performance Index, Denmark is the world’s fourth most sustainable country.

Gastronomy is just as important to that as a green attitude towards energy, transport and other environmental matters.

For two years in a row, the Copenhagen Michelin restaurant Relæ was named the world’s most sustainable restaurant. Roskilde Festival – the largest Nordic music festival – has also won a Green Operations Award.

A STRONG REPUTATION FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

GROWING NEW OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

Gastronomy and science go hand-in-hand

No less than 36 Danish educational institutions train people to produce and develop food products, to prepare and serve food and meals and to communicate food knowledge.

One more reason why Denmark has become a gastronomic leader – characterised by passionate entrepreneurs and innovative industry.

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Keep exploring the Danish strongholds

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