By The Best Chef NEW CANDIDATES Top100 2022

Nicolai Nørregaard

KADEAU

Nicolai Nørregaard is a danish chef and restaurateur, co-founder and the head chef of Kadeau in Copenhagen and Kadeau Bornholm on the island of Bornholm which have two and one star in the Michelin Guide. Nicolai ranks as an early proponent of the Nordic Cuisine movement.

Baltic Sea as larder for his cuisine

Born on the island of Bornholm. The harsh island, 180km off the Danish coast, is situated in the middle of the Baltic Sea, yet at the same time is the larder for his cuisine. For example, on the menu of his restaurant Kadeau – Finnish for “showing respect” – one can find smoked fish, fried lichen, juniper biscuits and flower blossoms, as well as cockles with fermented wheat and urchins or celeriac with caviar, red wood ants and woodruff.

“The backbone of our cuisine is the nature of Bornholm – wild as well as cultivated. We care for tradition yet strive to innovate. We are ambitious and thorough but will always be playful and explore the new. Our cuisine is regional, yet we are inspired by the whole world. We follow the rhythm of the years and the cycle of the seasons”

Necessity is the mother of invention

The wealth of meat, fish, berries, vegetables, herbs and mushrooms from the island appears incredible at first sight. On the other hand, the season to harvest is short and the winter very tough on the island of Bornholm. Necessity is the mother of invention. Whenever and wherever nature offers its treasures, Nicolai Nørregaard harvests them to the full and preserves them.

On the restaurant’s shelves, pickled and fermented treasures from the island are lined up in an impressive number of receptacles. Pickling, drying, brining, curing and reducing to jus – Nicolai Nørregaard perfectly masters all the techniques and this is how, even in winter, the most varied tastes and aromas from his homeland unfold in his dishes: skilfully and surprisingly combined with one another in salty, crispy, sour and sweet elements.