Two stars in seven months: how Alchemist did it

The Netherlands had its turn recently, but this week Michelin unveiled its ‘Nordic’ Guide. The big winner? Rasmus Munk with his revamped Alchemist in Copenhagen. He received two stars – out of nowhere – for his newly opened restaurant.

Something he said himself he absolutely did not expect. Alchemist is not exactly your standard Michelin-starred restaurant. Rasmus opted for an experimental and holistic approach: the experience takes center stage.

10,000 people waiting

Of course, the food and drink – spread across 50 (!!) courses – take center stage, but they are enhanced by art, drama, music, light and visual effects in various rooms, including a sort of planetarium. Unfortunately, we do not know the finer details either, because the waiting list now includes more than 10,000 people. That makes Alchemist one of the most difficult restaurants at which to get a table.

Fifty courses

But then you get quite something in return. As mentioned earlier: fifty courses. No large T-bone steaks, of course, but beautiful little bites. With a message. Because that is – just as in his previous restaurant (which was also called Alchemist) – what Rasmus loves doing most. At Alchemist 1.0, he served king crab and potato buried under hay ash, served in an ashtray, as a comment on smoking. At Alchemist 2.0, you get ‘plastic’ fish and ‘food for thought’.

Rasmus’ motivation

“My motivation is the possibility of influencing people. My goal is to change the world through gastronomy. At Alchemist, we have the opportunity to take our guests out of the ordinary world for a moment and transport them to a dimension beyond time and space. A perfect place to start a conversation,” Rasmus says.

Which dishes does he do that with, while also winning two stars? Among others, these:

Also read:

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• These are the favorite budget wines of top sommeliers
• I, a Michelin virgin, went to eat at a two-star restaurant