Copenhagen, Denmark
This month we hear from CHRISTIAN F PUGLISI on sustainability and where to eat and drink in his hometown.
Christian F Puglisi is the restaurateur and chef behind Copenhagen’s Relae, one of the world’s most sustainable Michelin-starred restaurants. When he’s not entertaining friends at pizza restaurant Baest, the El Bulli-trained, ex-Noma sous-chef delves into food research and chef education, and runs Farm of Ideas, an organic farm that sustainably produces food for his restaurants.
Working with nature
The major question in terms of sustainability is how to expand people’s understanding of produce. People don’t understand where their food comes from. It’s part of the reason we decided to start Farm of Ideas. It’s asking the question: “What is the agricultural system we are in, and what influence can we as chefs and restaurateurs have on it?” Our values need to focus on serving nature rather than trying to dominate it. One way we’re doing this is by growing more than 150 varieties of vegetables for our restaurants and sourcing products from our own animals. We’re never 100 per cent in control, but we have to use our skills and ideas to make the most out of it for the sake of the planet.
Benchmark burgers
One place that does a good job of applying sustainability to their day-to-day business is Gasoline
Grill. It’s famous for making amazing burgers and it’s also certified organic. The meat is ground on-site daily and it sells out every day. There are six locations across the city, but it started at a gas station, hence the name.
Bringing Mexico to Copenhagen
The restaurant I visit the most is Sanchez by Rosio Sanchez. What stands out is that it brings flavours to the plate that you don’t really find anywhere else in Copenhagen. It’s unique and you can’t beat it for Rosio’s inventive Mexican dishes. The combination of acidity and flavours from smoked chillies and fruit is something special.
An ambitious bowl of noodles
Slurp Ramen Joint is an extremely ambitious ramen project. The chefs are very focused on the quality of the product and make all of the noodles themselves. The kitchen essentially runs as a line in a fine-dining restaurant, which is quite impressive for what it is.
Taking DIY to the next level
When I entertain I want to be able to share food with friends, and there’s nothing quite like sharing the burrata at Baest. Being my own restaurant I’m obviously biased, but it’s also my house. Baest has a butchery and micro-dairy upstairs where we make all our charcuterie and raw-milk cheeses, something that is unique in Denmark.
Asian food cooked with care
Lisa Lov, a former sous chef at Relae, opened Tigermom in 2018. The menu is an eclectic view on her Cambodian and New Zealand roots with a modern mix of Asian flavours and personality. It has a set menu that changes all the time but one dish that really stood out for me was scallop with XO butter. While working at Relae, Lov learnt how to source the finest produce and champion the sustainable agenda, and this is something she brings to Tigermom.
Sustainable seafood
If you want to eat where the locals eat, head to La Banchina for simple tasty fish by the water. This is usually where you’ll find me on a summer’s day. The chef, a former apprentice of mine, makes no compromises and only sources fish that he can serve with a good conscience.
Fried chicken and beer
Brought to you by the Amass team, Broaden & Build is a great place to go with a few friends.
It’s a brewery in an old warehouse with a taproom and delicious bar snacks, like its famous fried chicken. The food is simple, organic and ingredient driven.
Bakers’ delights
When I’m on the road, the one thing I miss is sourdough from Mirabelle Bakery. It’s the bread we serve at all our restaurants, and if you eat at Mirabelle restaurant you can see it being made at our in-house bakery. We’ve expanded with croissants and a few laminated doughs that I’m very proud of. We keep the offering limited so that we have less waste and keep the quality high.
Drinking wine, naturally
If I have something to celebrate, I’ll most likely head to Ved Stranden
10. It’s refined but still manages to feel casual. I love it. My restaurant and wine bar Manfreds was, I dare to say, one of the first venues to really push the natural-wine agenda in Copenhagen. It’s about simplicity and high quality.
Exploring vermouth
Last year we added Rudo to the Relae community. It’s a vermouth-focused bar that we have great pleasure working on. It’s a drink-focused venue so the food is quite simple. There are things like house-made charcuterie, and the most popular dish is the stracciatella and black-truffle toast.