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COMMUNAL DINING: WHERE STRANGERS MEET Fællesspisning, a 'shared' Danish dining experience, has become increasingly popular over the past few years. A unique way to share a meal that welcomes everybody, the notion of shared dining is creating colourful dining rooms all over the country.
PHOTOGRAPHS KERI BLOOMFIELD / ENIGMA – MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATION, ARI ZELENKO
TEXT KERI BLOOMFIELD
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‘THERE ARE NO strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet’ is a nice little saying which captures the essence of the Danish tradition of fællesspisning. With its typically long tables of strangers sharing meals from shared plates, you never know who you’ll be dining with, and if you might leave a little richer for making a new friend. It’s a format which continues to grow in popularity with various restaurants, venues and organisations throughout Denmark, each offering their slightly different take on the concept.
BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER One of the most popular venues to enjoy fællesspisning in Copenhagen is Absalon. A venue with a large heart created for everyone by Lennart Lejboschitz, the founder of the international chain of Tiger stores. He has created a space which recognises that it’s the social bonds between people that gives meaning to life. Seated at long tables, much like you would at a family dinner, guests are asked to collect their food from the kitchen. A process which gives you the opportunity to begin connecting with your fellow diners in a more natural way. A small, but clever gesture that creates openness and helps to begin building a sense of community between the guests. Although, it's no ordinary meal you’ll be served. Absalon’s values also seems to attract a number of topquality staff who consistently deliver food to rival many neighbouring restaurants. All at the fraction of the cost. To achieve their mission of creating a space in which social interactions occur naturally, Absalon offers a wide range of events. But it’s the Absalon fællesspisning experience with its incredibly affordable price of 50 DKK per person, that consistently pulls in the crowds with around 200 people arriving for dinner every night. Popular with locals, internationals as well as tourists, it’s one of the most colourful and warm dining rooms you’re likely to find in the country serving up great food every night of the week.
ENCOURAGING CONVERSATIONS The faellesspisning experience at ENIGMA - Museum of Communication is all about the conversation. Director of the Museum Jane Sandberg explains: “As a society we
AUGUST 2018 - WWW.THE-INTL.COM
"AS A SOCIETY WE NEED DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION MORE THAN EVER AND IT’S OUR MISSION AS A MUSEUM OF COMMUNICATION TO FACILITATE AS MANY CONVERSATIONS AS WE CAN BETWEEN AS MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN" - JANE SANDBERG - MUSEUM DIRECTOR AT ENIGMA need dialogue and conversation more than ever, and it’s our mission as a museum of communication to facilitate as many conversations as we can between as many different types of people that we can.” Which is why every month you’ll also find rows of strangers eating together at her Museum in Østerbro, Copenhagen. Not known for their small talk, Sandberg is also aware that Danes sometimes need a little help connecting with strangers. It’s why the Museum also provides guests with conversation starter cards, on it a list of possible questions to ask their new ‘neighbour’. There is also a special set of questions for children, teaching them the art of connecting in real time, and teaching all how to
connect across generations and cultures. At 125 DKK for adults (half price for children 3-12 years old) this is also a great opportunity to experience delicious food from the famous Danish chef, Claus Meyers, and his team. Get more details on their Facebook page ‘Enigma Museum for post, tele & kommunikation’.
WISDOM MEETS YOUTH On the first Monday of every month in Aarhus, the doors are opened wide at a local community centre to welcome the ‘kommune’ for a shared meal. Christian Bøjlund, owner of Aarhus restaurant Frederiksgade42 is passionate about connecting people