A chef in the kitchen. Photo by Pylyp Sukhenko. Unsplash
10 Most Famous Swedish Chefs
Sweden is making a name for itself in the world of gastronomy. With the growing popularity of New Nordic Cuisine, more emphasis is being placed on promoting Swedish kitchen fare around the world.
Swedish cuisine is known for its high protein and low carbohydrate dishes, but it is also evolving thanks to many modern master chefs. For those interested in Nordic cuisine, here is a list of ten Swedish chefs to keep an eye on.
1. Björn Frantzén
Björn Frantzén. Photo by City Foodsters. Wikimedia Commons
Frantzén began his career as a football player in the Swedish league. After 1996, he abruptly changed careers and decided to pursue his other passion, cooking. Since then, Frantzén has established himself as one of Sweden’s top chefs.
The Swedish Chef of Chefs, as he is sometimes referred to, owns and operates the Frantzén restaurant, which received two Michelin stars in 2013. Frantzén is a well-known figure in Swedish gastronomy. He founded the Exceptional Swedish Quality Food project to promote the use of high-quality raw materials and to export Swedish cuisine around the world.
2. Niklas Ekstedt
Niklas Ekstedt cooking outdoors. Photo by Adamloftschulz. Wikimedia Commons
Niklas is a successful restaurant manager and professional chef. Ekstedt began his career in Helsingborg and has since relocated his operations to Stockholm, Sweden’s capital. Ekstedt, his current prestigious restaurant, takes a unique approach to Swedish cuisine.
Niklas has returned to Swedish cuisine’s roots by emphasizing the authenticity of cooking over a live fire. Ekstedt kitchens prepare traditional Swedish dishes in a fire pit, exposing the food to unforgiving heat and nuanced smoke for a truly unique gastronomic experience.
While it is not recommended to try their cooking methods at home, the Ekstedt staff is highly trained, and their art is definitely something to keep an eye on.
3. Christian Hellberg
He’s a well-known food presenter on Swedish television and a well-known chef in the Swedish media. Christian Hellberg and his childhood friend Camilla Läckberg co-wrote the cookbook Flavors from Fjällbacka.
Many people recognize him from ‘Dinner Secrets from the Abbey,’ in which he appeared on multiple occasions; in the spring of 2008, he was one of two chefs who competed against each other in ‘Chef’s Duel.’ Hellberg has cooked for events such as banquets for the annual Nobel Peace Prize awards.
He currently runs the kitchen at Griffins Steakhouse Extraordinaire in the heart of Stockholm. Hellberg has a talent for elevating ordinary ingredients to sublime levels, as evidenced by his signature boiled potato with caviar and smoked mayonnaise.
4. Mikael Jonsson
Jonsson, a native Swede and trained lawyer, owns Hedone in West London, one of the world’s best restaurants. Jonsson’s journey to becoming one of the world’s best chefs has been difficult because he suffers from severe food allergies and has only been able to control his symptoms and pursue his dream of opening a restaurant after switching to a paleo diet.
Despite his emphasis on French culinary traditions, Jonsson places a strong emphasis on sourcing only the best ingredients for his dishes. Needless to say, Jonsson’s love of cooking shines through all of his work, making him one of Sweden’s most exciting chefs to watch.
5. Magnus Nilsson
Magnus Nilsson. Photo by Bruno Cordioli. Wikimedia Commons
Nilsson, regarded as one of Europe’s top young chefs, is currently the head chef at the remote gourmet restaurant Fäviken. It seats about a dozen people and is located in Northwest Sweden, about 400 miles north of Stockholm.
The emphasis is on fresh, high-quality ingredients, and all raw materials are sourced locally. Everything is seasonal, from fresh meat to game to vegetables. Magnus Nilsson is an extraordinary voice in the New Nordic Cuisine movement, and has been rightly compared to Noma’s René Redzepi.
6. Nils Norén
Norén is regarded as one of the world’s most knowledgeable and respected chefs. Norén rose to prominence as the Vice President of Culinary Arts at New York’s French Culinary Institute (now International Culinary Institute).
He is known as an advocate and expert in the use of technological innovations and daring recipes in cooking, though he does not agree with the term “molecular gastronomy.” Follow Nils Norén on Twitter, where he frequently tweets about new cooking methods and exciting new ingredients.
7. Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Samuelsson. Photo by Senior Airman Christopher Callaway. Wikimedia Commons
Marcus Samuelsson is a Swedish chef who has received widespread international acclaim. Samuelsson’s career has seen him as the executive chef at the prestigious Aquavit in New York at the age of 24, a visiting professor of culinary science, and a guest chef for the Obama presidency’s first state dinner.
Samuelsson is also a well-known food writer and television personality. On the culinary front, Samuelson’s cuisine is an extraordinary fusion of various international fusions that have been carefully merged, combining Swedish, Asian, African, and American kitchens into a wonderful new experience.
8. Jacob Holmström
Jacob is a rising star on the international culinary scene. His favorite foods are seafood and dairy-based. Holmström co-owns the acclaimed Gastrologik restaurant in Stockholm with Anton Bjuhr. Holmström, like his Swedish contemporaries, prioritizes sourcing the freshest ingredients for his dishes.
Part of his philosophy is that a truffle and a potato can have the same value, and that we are the ones who determine the prices of the produce. This point of view has allowed Holmström to grow as a chef and gain international recognition.
9. Filip Fastén
Person garnishing on gray stainless steel bowl. Photo by Bank Phrom. Unsplash
Fastén has piqued the public’s interest as the youngest ever contestant to reach the finals of the 2011 Chef of the Year competitions. He currently works as the master chef in Björn Frantzén’s latest flagship restaurant in Stockholm.
10. Titti Qvarnström
Titti Qvarnström is a Swedish chef who earned a Michelin star for her restaurant Bloom in the Park in Malmö, making her the first woman to do so in the Nordic edition of the guide.
She began her career as a chef in Copenhagen, Denmark, and later worked in several restaurants in Berlin, Germany. She returned to Malmö and took over as executive chef at Bloom in the Park. Bloom in the Park was awarded a Michelin star in 2015, making Qvarnström the first woman to receive such an honor in the Nordic edition.
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