Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark
Restaurant of the Month, Denmark
Dine amongst the stars The staff at Kokkeriet were thrilled to receive a star when the newest results of the Nordic Michelin guide were announced in February. It is far from the first time they have been included; in fact, Kokkeriet was first blessed with a Michelin listing back in 2006, 13 years ago. While the accolade is encouraging, however, co-founder and owner Sammy Shafi still gets his biggest thrill from working at the restaurant of his dreams every day. By Louise Older Steffensen | Photos: Mikkel Adsbøl
“I dreamt about Michelin stars when I was a little boy, but the most consistent dream I had was the one about owning my own cosy, shiny restaurant in this area,” Shafi says. “I’m very grateful that both came to fruition. I grew up just down the road from here and my father owned a restaurant, so I feel a very strong attachment to Kokkeriet, to the area and to the restaurant industry as a whole.” Shafi began working as a waiter at a local fish restaurant at the tender age 114 | Issue 122 | March 2019
of 13, before joining his father’s Restaurant Harlekin. After extensive training abroad, he returned to Denmark and purchased Kokkeriet with his brother in 2001.
Danish deliciousness “I love that Kokkeriet has a history and a well-established tradition, not just as a great restaurant but as part of the local community,” Shafi says. “She brings with her a lot of responsibility: this classy lady has survived for so long and
managed to reinvent herself again and again in a city in constant change.” In her current form, Kokkeriet presents itself as a modern but cosy and intricate restaurant. The kitchen is viewable from the street, and it is recommended that guests go and have a peek as they wait for their food to be prepared. The dishes are respectful of Danish cuisine, but playful, offering guests an experience