Located in the picturesque Copenhagen suburb of Gentofte, JORDNÆR, run by married couple Eric Vildgaard and Tina Kragh Vildgaard and awarded its highest honour — a Michelin 3-star rating in 2024 — is luxury from start to finish, a sophisticated oasis of craftsmanship, beautifully prepared food and top-notch service in every step.
In addition to prestigious awards and Michelin stars, the restaurant’s brand chef, Eric Wildgaard, has been ranked No.3 of TOP-3 Chefs in the annual global ranking of The Best Chef 2024.
Having met Tina and Eric for a first time a few years ago and received the most outstanding experience, we’ve been eager to return to this very special place, where every visit is a new round of impressions of a perfectly spent evening.
Eric Vildgaard, one of Copenhagen’s most exciting chefs, is known for his commitment to sustainability and cleanliness, which are a testament to his professionalism in preparing bold and creative dishes based on seafood and vegetables of the highest quality, making his work resonate globally. Tina oversees impeccable service and is also the restaurant’s sommelier.
Everything Eric creates, every one of his creations is a feast for the eyes and taste buds, perfectly balanced and characterised by elegant simplicity and made with great love. As Eric himself says: “Everything in life is about love, be it family, work, hobbies — without love we are nothing”.
Love and elegance are also present in the restaurant’s interior. Light-coloured walls and furniture, snow-white tablecloths, a fireplace burning in the middle of the room, a luxurious vase with dried flowers, elegant glass decorations, traditional Scandinavian lamps — all this creates a unique beauty and charm.
“A progressive restaurant has ambitions to reach the very top. This year we attained that pinnacle by receiving our third Michelin star, and we are very honoured and proud, — says Eric. — But we don’t stop there, we keep moving forward. First of all, our goal is not awards (of course, I won’t lie, any award is a great joy, but also a great incentive for new records), but our guests, for whom we cook, and we are happy when they leave satisfied and come back to us again”.
If you love the finest ingredients caught from the sea, then JORDNÆR is the perfect place for you, as the menu concept involves a complete absence of meat (a vegetarian menu is also offered), although Eric himself is not a vegetarian.
Here you will taste huge langoustines, turbot, king crabs, not to mention a generous amount of caviar, which plays an important role throughout the dinner. Eric is a great caviar connoisseur, and working closely with his trusted supplier, he chooses the right caviar for each dish.
Now, the most important thing is to recline in the comfy chairs and get ready for pure indulgence.
And it begins with the small bites:
-Romanesco — Comté
-King Crab — Tabasco & Sake
-Lobster — Yuzu & Sansho Pepper
-Bluefin Otoro — Myoga & Caviar
-Rosette Waffle
-Takoyaki
Wine suggestion: L’Artiste Blanc de Blancs, David Léclapart, Trépail, Champagne, 2020
On the drinks side, JORDNÆR offers a large selection of bottled wines as well as three different pairings: The Companionship, Champagne and wine pairing consisting of 7 entries from classic Champagne houses and articulate grovers — Because Everything Is Better with Champagne, which is a favourite among guests and The Prestige Selection. This is more luxurious selection of wines, with hard to source bottles, some older vintages, and a more classic touch when it comes to style and origin. Soft drinks may also be offered.
According to Tina: “We are very proud of our wine list, but we also have some very rare exclusive bottles that guests can enjoy during dinner if they wish. In this case, we are happy to offer a corkage fee.”
The main part of the menu consists of two courses:
-Scallops — White Currant & Rose
-Essence of Langoustine — Tomato & Vanilla
Wine suggestion: Oisly Utopie Creative, Nicolas Barbou, Touraine, France, 2021
-Gillardeau Oyster — Horseradish & Dill
Wine suggestion: ‘Felseneck’ Riesling Kabinett, Schäfer-Fröhlich, Nahe, Germany, 2023
-Hamachi — Ponzu & Wasabi
-Chawanmushi
Wine suggestion: b.17 ‘Semper Fidelis’ XVI, Famille Delouvin, Vandières
In between courses, you will be treated to a bread serving:
-Bread & Butter
Followed by the Main Course:
-King Crab — Vadouvan & Mussels
Wine suggestion: Chassange-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Les Macherelles, Françoise Carillion, Burgundy, France, 2017
-Turbot — White Truffle, Caviar & Walnut
-Langoustine — Sakura
Wine suggestion: Mancini Blanc de Pinot Noir, Tenute Quarta, Marche, Italy, 2022
Finishing up with Sweet part:
-Milk — ‘Honey Dew’ Melon & Lavender
-Miyagawa Mandarin — Sheep’s Cream & Yuzu
Wine suggestion: Grüner Veltliner Eiswein, Weingut Haider, Burgenland, Austria, 2020 / Robert Moncuit Les Grands Blancs Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru ‘Le Mesnil-sur-Oger’, Mesnil-sur-Oger’, France, 2015
-Selection of Petit Fours
Eric Vildgaard: “JORDNÆR is about being humble about what we have. And the name of the restaurant translated to English means “Down to Earth” which, in Danish, also means a way of being humble — in this case in relation to the nature around us. We are a success story and I am very proud of our team. And we strive to be even better tomorrow than today. Everything is possible when you do it with heart”.
Menu — 3800 DKK
Wine pairings:
The Companionship — 2350 DKK
Because Everything Is Better with Champagne — 3500 DKK
The Prestige Selection — 5000 DKK
Restaurant JORDNÆR
Address: Gentoftegade 292820, Gentofte, Denmark
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday 18.00 – 00.00
Instagram: @restaurantjordnaer
Text: Marina Timo
Photo courtesy: EATWEEKGUIDE
