This is crazy: Europe’s best restaurant is coming to Aalborg
Six chefs and six sommeliers are ready to present their absolute best when Restaurant Fauna at Musikkens Hus hosts a chef gathering on Saturday, June 21 – a very special evening in the name of gastronomy.
Guests can look forward to delicacies from the 2-star Michelin restaurant Alchemist in Copenhagen – recently named the best restaurant in Europe – from Falsled Kro on Funen, and from four prominent restaurants in Aalborg. In addition to Fauna itself, the lineup includes Nam, Restaurant Emil, and Bach & Nurup.
Each restaurant is represented by its head chef and restaurant manager. Together, they’ve composed a unique menu where each duo presents one snack, one dish, and one carefully selected glass of wine/juice – all rooted in their distinct culinary universe. As a guest, you’ll experience six strong gastronomic identities in harmony, and with social seating, you’ll enjoy the evening alongside other food lovers while tasting the very best of Danish gastronomy.
“We’ve been dreaming for some time about hosting a chef gathering within the setting of Fauna. We wanted to bring together both familiar faces and create new connections with those we don’t know as well,” explains Nicklas Thellufsen, head chef at Restaurant Fauna in Musikkens Hus, and continues:
“To make this chef gathering truly special, we asked ourselves – how can we take it to the next level? The answer: let’s also invite the restaurants’ talented managers/servers/sommeliers to the party, so guests can enjoy the fantastic stories behind the wines as well.”
Guests can expect an exclusive all-round experience filled with indulgence, flavorful surprises, and amazing stories. The price per cover for this exclusive evening, including everything, is 3,000 DKK.
Alchemist, Copenhagen
From the Michelin-starred restaurant Alchemist comes sous-chef Rasmus Bermann, who began his career at Hotel Scheelsminde.
After completing his training, he moved to Copenhagen, where he has been part of Alchemist’s exciting journey from the very beginning, back when it was “just a small restaurant.”
Bermann has played a major role in the restaurant’s tremendous development and now serves as the right hand to head chef Rasmus Munk, known for his innovative and multisensory approach to cooking.
The first Alchemist opened in 2015 in Østerbro, Copenhagen, and in 2019 it reopened in a larger format on Refshaleøen. Alchemist has held two Michelin stars since 2020.
For the fifth year in a row, Alchemist has just secured the top spot on the prestigious list of Europe’s best restaurants, published by Opinionated About Dining. No other restaurant has ever maintained the top position for that long.
Falsled Kro, Funen
From Falsled Kro comes chef Elisabeth Madsen, who actually began her culinary journey as an apprentice in Musikkens Hus.
She later worked for several years at Svinkløv Badehotel, and during her time there, she became Denmark’s first female participant in the Bocuse d’Or, serving as assistant to Brian Mark Hansen from Søllerød Kro. Together, they won the unofficial European championship for chefs, Bocuse d’Or Europe, as well as the world championship, Bocuse d’Or.
Accompanying her to Aalborg is restaurant manager Karsten Vølding.
Nam, Aalborg
Since 2016, Restaurant Nam on Vesterbro has held a special place in the hearts of Aalborg residents. With its fantastic and flavorful Asian fusion cuisine, head chef Kim Jeppesen and Nam have repeatedly received praise through glowing reviews and numerous wins in culinary competitions.
Kim Jeppesen is one of Aalborg’s prominent restaurateurs and, in addition to Nam, also runs Menéndez and Restaurant Smaek.
Restaurant Emil, Aalborg
It made waves throughout the city when a young Emil Thaarup opened the doors in 2022 to Aalborg’s only 100% fish-based restaurant.
The head chef and his staff personally source all their fantastic fish from the auction in Strandby, where Emil himself grew up.
Another Aalborg restaurant that has received plenty of praise, and just a year after opening, in 2023, it proudly earned the title of Seafood Restaurant of the Year in the Danish Dining Guide.
Bach & Nurup, Aalborg
Christian Nurup and Nadia Bach first made a name for themselves in Aalborg as head chef and restaurant manager, respectively, at Hotel Scheelsminde, where they helped raise the city’s gastronomic standards.
After more than four years there, they opened their own restaurant last year on Budolfi Plads in the heart of Aalborg. Their vision was to combine the dynamic energy of New York, the charm of a French bistro, and the clean aesthetics of Japan.
The couple has already received rave reviews and gained significant recognition in Danish food magazines and dining guides.
Restaurant Fauna, Aalborg
Award-winning chef Nicklas Thellufsen began his career at Musikkens Hus nearly 11 years ago as a young culinary apprentice.
After graduating, he spent a year at Restaurant Nam under Kim Jeppesen before returning “home to the waterfront,” where he was hired as sous-chef and, from 2021, as head chef.
He has made a strong impression with excellent reviews in Jyllands-Posten, Berlingske, and Nordjyske. He was also part of the winning team in the “Game Dish of the Year” competition in 2018, and in both 2022 and 2024, he and the Restaurant Fauna team won the Danish Hotdog Championship.
Together with restaurant manager Steffan Kamedula, who previously served as manager at Dronninglund Castle, he will host the exclusive chef gathering.