“I am Mikkel Karstad, a 49-year-old chef from Copenhagen. My culinary journey began at the age of 17 when I started my apprenticeship at Krogs Fiskerestaurant in Copenhagen. Afterward, I have worked and gained experience in various Michelin-starred restaurants in London, including Gordon Ramsay’s and Pierre Kaufmann’s 3-star establishments.

Returning to Denmark, I operated several small gourmet restaurants before becoming the head chef at Christiansborg, the Danish government building. Additionally, I worked as a culinary consultant for Claus Meyer for six years, both domestically and internationally, assisting in guiding dinners and writing cookbooks. Together with Claus Meyer, we created the TV series “New Scandinavian Cooking,” which was broadcasted in 40 countries, where we also created a subsequent cookbook.”

“I’ve always been a home cook, even though nobody in my family is a chef. I started cooking at a young age and spent vacations with my grandma on Tåsinge, where we gathered veggies from her amazing garden. Fishing and hunting with my uncle also fueled my culinary interest.

In 8th grade, during a restaurant internship, I knew instantly I wanted to be a chef. School wasn’t my thing, but the kitchen captured me. I briefly considered being a lumberjack, even interning as a forest worker, but in the end, it was the kitchen that had me hooked the most.”

“During my younger years, gourmet restaurants were my focus. Now, nature’s influence on my cooking has grown, with wild roses, elderflowers, and asparagus captivating my attention. This shift has shaped the type of food I prepare.

Incorporating self-grown or foraged ingredients adds a special and different touch to the food. For instance, we cultivate various plants in raised beds and even gather elderflowers from a nearby park, despite living in the city, which is amazing. Dining out, particularly while traveling, provides me with great inspiration. While I have talked about Nordic cuisine for a long time, I also believe in seeking inspiration from the broader world.”

“It stems from the fact that it has come somewhat naturally to me, in the way I’m educated in terms of food. I also believe that it’s important, because the first thing you notice is the visual appeal of the food. If the food looks delightful but tastes awful, then it’s a bit of wasted effort. Everything that goes on the plate should be edible.

And I also just like putting some effort into it. Not because it needs to be overly decorated, but I would never put something on a plate if it doesn’t make sense taste-wise. Besides, I am also a food stylist, which has allowed me to participate in various projects and advertising campaigns where I can create visual universes that highlight the quality and aesthetics of the food."

“My advice is to keep it simple when starting from scratch. Stick to simple dishes you feel comfortable with. Use your common sense and be open to experimenting. Don’t feel restricted by recipes, but understand their basic principles.

Innovate your cooking approach. Try roasting instead of always boiling your vegetables. The common prejudice with vegetables is that it lacks flavor and satiety, but if you prepare them in a slightly different way, you can truly have a different taste experience.

I would also highly recommend the Claus Meyer cookbook, “Almanak,” which I have co-written. The approach it takes, with two dishes per day, rotating throughout the year, allows you to actually live by that book for an entire year.”