3 Michelin-starred GERANIUM, one of the most famous and significant restaurants not only in Denmark but also far beyond its borders, is a dynamic and thoughtful kitchen, that touches all human senses and delivers an unforgettable experience — restoring, challenging and enriching.
The owners of GERANIUM are the Brand Chef Rasmus Kofoed and Wine Director and General Manager Søren Ledet.
The restaurant was opened in 2007 in the King’s Garden and in 2010 it moved to a new location on the 8th floor in Fælledparken (Common Gardens) in the center of Copenhagen.
The location of the restaurant is not accidental — it emphasizes GERANIUM’s vision of gastronomic clarity and diversity, where the area of contradiction between the polite and the natural is explored.
Sitting inside the restaurant, you can follow the seasons’ journey through the tree crowns, catch glimpses of the city’s green copper roofs and just see the windmills of Oeresund.
In the Photo: Brand chef Rasmus Kofoed
“When Søren Ledet and I were looking for a location for the new GERANIUM, we immediately fell in love with the panoramic views of the park, city and coastline, — says Rasmus. — We jointly designed the restaurant based on our common vision of how GERANIUM should look and feel.
We understood that it should be understated elegance, which includes classic Danish design, contemporary art and elements of nature”.
Rasmus Kofoed, who has received many awards and accolades throughout his career, is a triple winner of the silver, gold and bronze medals of Bocuse d’Or, making him the most winning chef in Bocuse d’Or history.
Rasmus truly lives his passions and dreams on a daily basis. Inspired by a childhood spent in nature, followed by years of dedication in fine tuning his craft, Rasmus takes diners on a culinary discovery of his native homeland. His deep connection to the land, his respect of nature and his understanding of ingredients allows him to honor and elevate local ingredients into a beautiful tapestry of flavor profiles, textures and unique components.
Chef Kofoed’s unique outlook on life takes guests on a journey from his childhood memories to the present day. A visit to GERANIUM takes away from everything else. The GERANIUM menu is filled with energy, changes seasonally and is inspired by nature, which can be seen outside and tasted inside.
“Geranium is a plant, it’s a life. Like the restaurant and its team — it’s a living organism. We’re growing, we’re changing, we’re developing all the time. Geranium is green, what also relates to our focus on vegetables. And as a plant, it release a beautiful aroma, specially when you touch it, — says Rasmus. — That’s why I want people to be in touch with their senses when they are here, at Geranium. We all live in high-speed, hectic life full of stress, but sometimes we just need to “stop the moment”, to breathe out and look around, see this beautiful lights and shadows, hear those sounds, smell these aromas”.
The restaurant’s sommelier, Søren Ledet (formerly a chef) has developed a wine list for GERANIUM with a great desire to provide guests with a full range of experiences. His selections for the wine pairings at GERANIUM involve hours of theory, tasting notes and understanding of the flavor profiles of both the wine and the dishes. Managing a 12,000 bottle wine cellar is a job that requires one to evolve and grow, season after season. You’ll find biodynamic wines, classic vintages as well as a few surprises in the GERANIUM Wine Cellar.
The tasting menu consists of three parts, being accompanied by wines or a specially designed non-alcoholic juice pairing.
The first section, Appetizers, includes four appetizers, recommended to enjoy with a glass of Champagne (Benoit Déhu Cuvée de La Rue des Noyers) or any other aperitif option from the Cocktail menu.
— Jerusalem Artichoke Leaves & Pickled Walnut Leaves
— A Childhood Memory from Vesterhavet
— Scallop “Red Stones” & Korseradish
— Crispy Fjord Shrimp Heads with Cherry Vinegar
The main part of the set opens with Yellow Beetroot, Söl, Dried Mussels & Pickled Seeds.
Accompaniment for this dish: White wine Gemischter Satz Terrassen, Marrin & Anna Arndorfer, Kamptal Austria 2019 // Juice: Tart Green Apple & Lemon Thyme Oil
— Squid, Melted Smoked Lard, Essence of Yeast & Potatoes
White wine Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Kumeu River, Auckland, New Zealand, 2019 // Juice: Cold Brewed Gyokuro, Mare Green Tea with Fennel
— “Marbled” Hake, Caviar & Buttermilk
White wine Clos de Mosny, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, Loire France, 2019 // Juice: Gooseberry, Roasted Sunflower Seeds & Tarragon
Bread Serving — A Tribute to Demeter the Goddess of Grains — Sprouting Grains, Sourdough Bread with Seeds, Cep Mushroom Buns & Ramson Butter
— Oven Roasted & Raw Vegetables, Cheese Bouillon & Pickled Ramson
The next two dishes are complemented with Brut Rèserve Leclerk Briant, Champagne France, 2016 // Juice: Pear, Sea Buckthorn &
Tagetes — both emphasizing their grace and refined taste.
— Oyster Pearls, Kelp & Rygeost
— Grilled Lobster, Pickled Elderflower & Dried Onion
Red Wine Gevrey-Chambertin Pressonnier, Maison Harbour, Bourgogne France, 2017 // Juice: Cherry, Blueberry, Burnt Beechwood & Smoked Juniper — perfect addition to quail.
— Quail with Thyme Seeds, Berries & Pickled Pine
“I may say that Nature is my main source of inspiration. Because nature is most amazing artist we have. I also get lots of inspiration & ideas during my runs, — Rasmus continues. — For instance, I love chocolate and the best reward for me after a long race is a chocolate ice cream topped with crushed chocolate. And I was thinking, that probably on the upcoming menu I have to create the most amazing chocolate dessert. Because I want the menu reflect things that I personally love and enjoy in my life implemented with more of my childhood memories”.
The most anticipated part of the set —Desserts — is represented by four unique courses with expertly selected drinks:
Grauburgunder Auslese, Weingut Forster, Nahe Germany, 2015 // Juice: Quince & Liquorice
— A Bite of Beetroot, Blackcurrant, Yoghurt & Tagetes
— “The Forest” Wood Sorrel & Woodruff
— Ollebrod, Milk, Geranium & Wild Blackberries
This delicate dessert in the shape of a geranium flower, served with a small bouquet of this plant, symbolizes the name of the restaurant and its cuisine.
Fragrant dessert wine is perfectly combined with “geranium” — Passerillè, Domaine des Carlines, Jura France, 2017 // Juice: Apple & Lapsang Souchong
And finally — “The End?”
Philosophical question in a form of sweet surprise that causes unexpected delight when it appears to the guest — a jewelry made chocolate dessert in the form of a skull covered with gold leaf.
The last touch — a variety of Petits Fours is served to the guest.
“The concept of the restaurant we’ve developed through years. Now we’re preparing for a new chapter — a completely new menu. It’s the very first time we change the whole menu since 11 years. During lockdown I had enough time to rethink everything and I realized, that the time for something new has come. It’s time to challenge ourselves and bring something new to the team and to the guests. I know that it’s not that easy to change whole journey at once, but I like challenges. We gonna create something totally different and inspiring. It’s a very painstaking and interesting process, and that feels great. Stepping into a new chapter, I feel a lot of freedom to put together all fresh ideas and visions”, — enthusiastically says Rasmus in conclusion.
“Dynamic means force and stands for the living formative forces of nature. These forces are not visible, but their biologic “footprints” are. The effects can be seen if one learns to observe and understand the connections between the formative forces and the physical matter of all organisms” (GERANIUM team).
The Autumn Universe menu — 2800 Dkk
Wine pairing Heart & Soil — 1800 Dkk
Non-Alcoholic pairing — 1000 Dkk
Geranium
Adress: Per Henrik Lings Allé 4, 8.
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Opening hours: Wednesday 18.00 – 23.30; Thursday-Saturday 12.00 -15.30 and 18.30 – 23.30
Contacts: +45 6996 0020; info@geranium.dk
Instagram: @restaurant_geranium
Editor-in-chief: Patricia Kolari
Text Writer: Marina Timoshevskaya
Technical Director: Evgeny Fedorov
Photos: EATWEEK GUIDE
