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Chef of the year: Jordan’s Copenhagen experience

When Jordan won our Chef of the Year competition, part of his prize was the chance to experience the food scene in Copenhagen.

At the top of his list was Jordnær, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant that he had followed for years.

“The highlight of the trip was going to Jordnær, particularly as I have followed the restaurant and the chef for a long time,” says Jordan. “All the dishes were absolutely unbelievable, showcasing cooking techniques and ingredients which were completely unique.”

A meal to remember

Jordnær certainly lived up to expectations, but it wasn’t only the food that made an impression.

The hospitality was some of the best the group had experienced. When the restaurant team heard that Jordan was visiting as part of his prize for winning Chef of the year, they made a real effort to make the occasion special for him.

For Jordan, one dish stood out in particular.

“My favourite dish was the langoustine head broth, which was set as a gel but packed so much flavour and looked absolutely stunning.”

The meal also gave Jordan plenty to think about when it came to his own cooking.

“I learnt a lot from the art of simplicity in dishes and not overcomplicating things,” he says. “It has inspired me to use other ingredients and flavour combinations in my cooking, especially different kinds of fruit and berries in savoury dishes.”

Exploring Copenhagen’s food scene

There was plenty more to discover over the course of the trip, with visits to restaurants, cafés and food markets across Copenhagen, including trying traditional smørrebrød and a visit to Bæst for pizza.

It was at Bæst that one of the simplest dishes of the trip became one of the most memorable.

When the team discovered we were chefs, they sent out an extra pizza topped simply with tomato and a little pickled onion, with no cheese. It ended up being one of the best pizzas we had eaten.

We were also struck by Copenhagen’s food and café culture and the sheer number and variety of places to eat.

The Scandinavian approach to hospitality was another talking point, with a style of service that felt noticeably different to what we were used to back home, even at the very highest level of dining.

Bringing the ideas back

Jordan is already thinking about how some of what he experienced in Copenhagen could influence his own cooking.

Alongside experimenting with different ingredients and flavour combinations, he has been talking about changing the bread he serves at his location and looking at other elements of the food offer that could benefit from some of the ideas he picked up during the trip.

It’s one of the reasons opportunities like this are so valuable. Our chefs get to experience something different, meet people, try new food and come back with ideas they can use and share with their teams.

More than winning

For Jordan, the experience started long before Copenhagen.

“Looking back, the Chef of the Year competition has meant a lot to me,” he says. “It was very rewarding competing and proving to myself that I could win.

“I also learnt things along the way, like keeping calm under pressure and cooking from the heart.”

The trip was a chance to enjoy what he had achieved while experiencing a restaurant he had wanted to visit for years.

“This opportunity to go to Copenhagen and visit one of the best restaurants in the world has been extremely rewarding and I’m incredibly grateful. I’m sure I’ll remember this meal for a long time and will take a lot of inspiration from it.”