Kasper connects food to memories

Inspiration. "I like to be creative with food. That is why I travel a lot and find inspiration around the globe," Kasper Elmholdt says.

The view of Esbjerg. From the terrace at the inn, Fanø Krogaard, you can enjoy a cup of coffee and look for the ferry going to the mainland.

Food made of memories

For Kasper Elmholdt, food is connected to memories. Memories which are then connected to his surroundings and certain times in his life. "When I was a child, I remember being at my great-grandmother's birthday party. I don't remember what we were doing but I remember what we ate," he says. And when your brain works like that you might as well make food part of your everyday job, Kasper says and adds with a smile: "And I also enjoy being busy." Kasper is the co-owner and head chef at Fanø Krogaard, an inn on the small Danish island of Fanø. He describes himself as 'fanatic' when it comes to food. To him, food comes down to eating what he likes, at the place he is at, made of seasonal ingredients. "My surroundings navigate me towards my memories of food and towards being creative with food. When I get on the ferry going to Fanø and the sun is shining and flowers are blooming, it gives me a sense of where I am at, which ingredients are the best at this place, and what food to make in this exact mood."

Seasonal. "It is just perfect that blood oranges are in season right now," Kasper says and taps the grater.

Diverse. As head chef, Kasper has created a day-to-day that is diverse both when it comes to how much times he spends in the kitchen and at which times he is at the inn.

From Shanghai to Fanø

"Eventhough Kasper works on Fanø, he has not yet 'made the jump to island life' as he says. After spending many years abroad, he now lives in Esbjerg close to where he grew up. He has started and worked at restaurants in Canada, Copenhagen, and Shanghai before he moved back 'home' to help start op a new concept for Fanø Krogaard. "I never really considered moving back. But I saw it as an opportunity to do something for the place where I am from and to show that it is actually a great place," Kasper says. He never really considered being a boss. "My parents are school and kindergarten teachers, so the fact that I like to work with people is something I have picked up from home and now I can tie it into my interest in food. Getting people to understand how they learn to cook and simultaneously devoloping a concept and its framwork - that's what I really like. And starting this inn has been one of the most fun experiences I've been part of."

Not everything. According to Kasper, the food is only 20% of the restaurant experience.

Creative corner for children | Søstrene Grene

Simple. "The inn is what it is. It's an inn on Fanø, so it is quite obvious what food we should serve here. It has to be simple and it makes sense that it is related to the Danish cuisine."

Made sense. Kasper was living in Shanghai when he was offered a position at the inn by his school friend Mette Hyttel. "It made sense at that point in my life to move back to Denmark. And I am really happy that I did that," he says.

The most vulnerable time

Chefs tend to work a non-traditional schedule and it can be hard to find time for seeing one's friends. That is why Kasper has often met friends for breakfast, which he finds to be a quite special time of the day to see other people. "You are completely vulnerable, and you haven't built yourself up to go out to dinner. What you need is so minimal and you are really the only person who knows what you need. There is a calmness in the morning because we all need to get started. If Kasper has a day off, he prioritises a slow morning. There should not be any plans before the afternoon and there should instead be time to walk around in his pyjamas and not clear the table before 10.30 am. It is also his favourite time of the day at Fanø. "The food that we serve for breakfast at the inn can easily be related to what you would also make at home. The mood amongst the guest is casual. And there is also a serenity where you can watch the sun rise together."

Time. It is okay to spend hours on breakfast, according to Kasper.

A shared experience

Kasper associates food with togetherness and at Fanø Krogaard he has both played a part in introducing communal eating and a menu focusing on social dining. "It makes sense to have communal eating at the inn because it is both concious of the local area and the local community. The guests who stay at the inn come to experience the hotel, Fanø, and the community and at the same time we get to be a gathering spot for the local community." The social dining menu makes space for a relaxing atmosphere while also letting the guests sit at the table for spans of longer time. "To me, it is important to be social and share the food experience. One of the reasons that I find it interesting to now be working at a hotel over a restaurant is that you get to prolong the shared experience when you spend a weekend here and see the same guests multiple times.

DIY

Kasper's traditional Danish øllebrød

Sjáðu leiðbeiningar hér

More than food

When asked if he has a philosphy when it comes to food, Kasper is quick to reply with a 'no'. "Food is a necessity. Food is important because we need to have it everyday, but it becomes something to gather around because we make an effort. And the experience of eating at a restaurant is something you get on top of that," he says and continues: "If you are always just staying at home, you will save money, but you will lose energy. If you go out, you get the sense of togetherness and the social aspect, which humans need. It is awesome to be able to gather people, create that room and closeness, and give them a social, shared experience," Kasper says.

Breathtaking breakfast. Kasper has made this breakfast menu because he wants to emphasize his favourite time of the day on Fanø.

Kasper's 3 ideas for breakfast

1. Cream cheese with sesame and coriander seeds.

A good cream cheese can be bought in most stores. Serve it with roasted sesame seeds and coriander seeds. Add a good olive oil and lemon or orange zest. It goes perfectly with sourdough bread and a quality ham.

2. Citrus and yoghurt

Make an easy and fresh citrus salad. Use all your favourite citrus fruits; I usally go for orange, grapefruit, mandarine, and pomelo. Cut them all in suprèmes and press the leftovers in a new bowl. When you have the amount of fruits that you'd like, mix your leftover juice with a good honey and olive oil. Pour this over your citrus fruits and serve. This is perfect for a bowl of yoghurt.

3. Granola with olive oil

A good butter granola is always delicious, but if you don't like butter, here is a little trick for you. Mix olive oil and brown sugar and then mix with nuts and oats. Bake this until it is golden and leave it to cool off. Now you can add dried fruits or any other component you like in your granola.

Home to Hjerting. Kasper grew up in Hjerting close to Esbjerg and is head chef of both Fanø Krogaard as well as Hjerting Badehotel - a hotel by the beach.

A special sister mug

At each interview, the participant receives a specially selected sister mug as a little personal greeting from Søstrene Grene. In this way, we let the good conversations, 'hygge' and warmth live on and spread amongst the many creative and passionate sisters we meet on our way.