If you have not heard his name yet, Rene Redzepi of Noma restaurant in Copenhagen is the rising star of European Cuisine.
Prior to flying on his own, Rene worked for extended stints at the French Laundry, El Bulli and
Jardin des Sens…
Noma offers his take on Nordic Cuisine using only ingredients from the region, perfect place for locavores.
The young chef won Top Spot at 2010 S.Pellegrino World’ s 50 Best Restaurants Awards in London on April 26.
Rene made time in his crowded schedule for a 5 questions interview.
Q: Rene, is there one Danish ingredient-food staple you would like the world to know and appreciate?
Hard to choose, there are so many good ones.
Q: Was there a moment, a person that was key in making you decide to cook Danish fare only?
Actually then I have to say one of my old friends, who was supposed to start at the culinary school, and then I followed him, I had no intention to become a chef. He is the one that made me go to school in the first place. I guess I owe it to him.
Q: Being dedicated to a unique, local and sustainable cuisine, do you see yourself down the road with a restaurant empire around the world a la Robuchon? Do you feel that your cuisine needs its roots, a sense of place to work?
No, I don’t see a restaurant empire. I believe and feel that it is more than enough to focus on the restaurant here in Copenhagen.
Q: If your food was music, what would it be?
Frank Zappa, Gill Scott Heron and Debussy
Q: At the tender age of 32, you have achieved what many people get to much later in life, could you list 2 or 3 things you would like to accomplish before you turn 64?
2-3 more children
Featured above is ‘Vegetable field with malt soil and herbs’, one on Rene Redzepi’s dishes at Noma
I hope I have a chance to taste Rene’s creative cuisine sometime soon.
(*Vegetable field photo by Culinaire Saisonnier, Rene Redzepi by Anders Birch)
Thanks to Anna Almira and Peter at Noma for making it happen…