THE INVISIBLE CHEF
Bjorn Frantzen zeros in on the elements that define the DNA of his growing empire.
The cuisine of three-Michelin-star chef Masaki Miyakawa is about anything but him.
He is Sweden’s first and only chef with three Michelin stars, loved for his sophisticated cuisine that draws from a cosmopolitan mix of influences, yet pays tribute to Nordic food heritage.
But beyond being a professional-soccer-playerturned-chef, Bjorn Frantzen is also a no-nonsense restaurateur with 10 F&B concepts spread across three countries around the world. These include fine-dining establishments Frantzen in Stockholm and its Singapore outpost, Restaurant Zen, that officially opened last November; casual dining Frantzen’s Kitchen in Hong Kong and gastropub The Flying Elk, which expanded there last year; and even cocktail bar Corner Club, situated across the street from Frantzen in Sweden.
While each of this 41-yearold wunderkind’s establishments is unique, like siblings from the same family, they carry the same trademark elements that make them distinctly “Frantzen”. The hands-on entrepreneur highlights the details.
WALLS THAT SPEAK
His flagship restaurant is situated within a 19th-century Stockholm building, and Frantzen’s Kitchen is housed within a heritage building in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. As for Restaurant Zen, it’s located in a storied building within the conservation area of Bukit Pasoh, at the old address of the now-defunct Restaurant Andre. “I don’t seek out old buildings intentionally,” says Frantzen. “Frankly, they are harder to maintain and kit out for cooking at a professional level. However, they tend to have more personality, and I seek places with character and authenticity.”
He adds that he doesn’t have a checklist of what he looks for in a venue. “Each building is different and we highlight different elements of each – be it a certain part of the structure, or the large windows – so that their character is shown. Each place has its own life.”
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF FUN
There is a relaxed, home-like quality to his establishments – even at the fine-dining venues where a meal costs 320 euros (S$500). At Restaurant Zen, preprandials and appetisers are served on the ground floor – just as one would entertain guests at
home with drinks in the living room. And, while the main dining room on the second floor is more conventional with fine linen draped over dining tables, post-dinner drinks are served in a drawing room of sorts on the third floor, where open shelves display a quirky collection of pictures, books and decorative items. In fact, Frantzen puts so much effort into creating a home-like atmosphere at his restaurants that it has drawn the ire of his wife.
“She keeps complaining about how I put all my energies into the design of the restaurant but not the house,” he confesses. “The home concept was actually born out of necessity, due to the layout of the only location I could afford in 2008, at 29 years of age,” he says. The concept has stayed, even though the restaurant has since relocated to much bigger premises. “I don’t want it to be too serious. Going to a restaurant should be a fun experience.”
MIX MASTER
Visitors to Frantzen in Sweden might find the playlist at Restaurant Zen similar – that’s because it is an identical mix of about 300 songs, curated by Frantzen himself. His remarkable involvement in every aspect of his restaurants extends to the kind of music played at each establishment – Swedish music for Frantzen’s Kitchen, and an international mix spanning The Smiths and Guns ’N’ Roses for The Flying Elk.
ESPECIALLY FOR YOU
They might escape the reveller coming in for a cheap and cheerful meal at the gastropub, but there is an overwhelming load of bespoke details even in the most casual of establishments within the group. The level of detailing is, of course, different for the various restaurants. For example, while the hands of the traditional Swedish hunting knives used at Frantzen’s Kitchen might be painted a single colour for the hands, those at the fine-dining venues would be decorated with an intricate Swedish kurbits motif by a painter. At Restaurant Zen, one would also find an array of bespoke service ware, from wooden utensil cannisters with sumptuously velvety exteriors to rustic canape pedestals designed by Frantzen and handmade by Swedish ceramicist Calle Forsberg.
SMOOTH OPERATOR
Frantzen’s obsession with bespoke pieces isn’t just a product of his love for outstanding craftsmanship. It is also part of his pursuit of efficiency. He designs service stations that sit neatly beside every table at the main dining hall. Expandable, and kitted with full sets of service ware, and trays designed to fit within, they are neat pieces essential to the seamless dining experience at Frantzen and Restaurant Zen. They are also essential to the group’s operational efficiency and competitive edge.
Citing Sweden’s taxation system, Frantzen says that high manpower costs mean that Swedish companies need to leverage on improved efficiency to compete globally. “All the big Swedish companies you can think of – from Spotify to Ikea – are super organised and efficient,” he says. “I believe that being organised is a national characteristic of Swedes.”