Nick Curtin, Chef at Alouette

“Turbot is without a doubt one of the best fish to be found in the region”

“This dish is turbot in its purest form. The plate has nothing on it but a piece of fish and a sauce, that’s it,” says American chef Nick Curtin in the open kitchen of his Alouette restaurant. “The idea is to completely forget about the technical skill and work it takes to make this recipe and focus entirely on the taste. But the sauce made from fish bones, chicken broth, lemon oil and cream takes three days to cook,” he says, smiling. Alouette is remarkably adept at discretion, in fact: we couldn’t find the restaurant’s entrance, and just the path one must take to find the upper floor is worth it simply to discover the place. And, though walking into the dining room triggers complete surprise, the dishes are absolutely forthright and crystal-clear. The ingredients seem to have been barely altered, as demonstrated by the turbot dish. “We’re not trying to promote ourselves – we’re paying tribute to this remarkable fish. Our objective is to capture the vibrations of the sea, the land and all the flavours encapsulated in these incredible ingredients and convey them to our customers,” says the cook, whose establishment was awarded a Michelin star just a few months after opening. The desire to highlight turbot was a natural choice for Nick.

“This is without a doubt one of the best fish to be found in the region. The deep, cold waters between Denmark and Sweden are the perfect environment for it to develop,” says this man who chose the calm of Copenhagen after initially pursuing a career in the maelstrom of New York. At Alouette, the ingredient is the star of the gastronomic creations. “We like to work with ingredients that we can use completely, every bit. Turbot is one such ingredient – the bones and gelatine have very strong flavours. We could use herring or mackerel, both of which are also excellent, but turbot has such a wide range of possibilities! Every bite explodes in your mouth.” Having fallen in love with Denmark and its people, Nick also fell for its terroir: “The products here are so different from what we find in America. The lobster is amazing; the squid is the best I know – huge, sweet, creamy. Denmark is discovering its own treasures. Our strawberries are like rubies – firm, luscious, sublime. Last year, we served a dish composed exclusively of berries prepared a variety of ways. It was like serving a bowl of Danish sunshine.”

Alouette, Sturlasgade 14P, 1, Copenhagen