MADS DALSBORG

“I’m sick and fucking tired of mumbo jumbo. I don’t even know what a mambo jumbo is, but I’m tired of them! I want to create no-frills food, honest food!” Mads Dalsborg has led a life in the fast lane in the mid-tier echelon of Danish gastronomy. It has brought him a lot of joy, and it has made him tired of a lot of things: mumbo jumbo, masks, unnecessary frills and culinary fata morganas to name but a few.

With his new venture, Bjørnekælderen, scheduled to open later this month, Mads Dalsborg is finally doing something in his own name. Finally doing something under his own complete, creative control. He has a pretty clear idea about how this should be done. He vows to remove all of what he considers unnecessary frills and offer honest food. Honest food presented in a relaxed setting by a crew of honest characters who are also encouraged to pull their masks down. To look and act exactly as they are. But what will it taste like?

When asked to elaborate a bit further, the eager chef promises a full on assault of every element of flavor: acidity, sweetness, saltiness, bitterness and a lot of fedme. It is, as he says “everything in season right now without me having to get up every morning to pick wild herbs and other such nonsense. I am done with unnecessary elements and garnish.”

What to expect at Bjørnekælderen?

For those not too familiar with the culinary style of Mads Dalsborg and what to expect from his new version of Bjørnekælderen, it is - in his own words - simple, honest food.

For those not too familiar with the culinary style of Mads Dalsborg and what to expect from his new version of Bjørnekælderen, it is - in his own words - simple, honest food.

To the observant diner, however, it is much more than that. Think deeply French-inspired, full-on fatty, intense and deep flavors. With a trademark Japanese twist; a zing of ginger, a bite of chili, a blast of citrus or a kick of rice wine. Preferably a textural crunch of some sort. To cut the richness and add an element of surprise and wonder. It adds a touch of finesse, to the French attention to detail, Chef Dalsborg argues, “if you then add a touch of cockiness and have the balls to call it Nordic because of the simplicity, you’re on to something.

Serve it up raw, in a no-bullshit manner. What you see is what you get. It tastes like it looks and the taste is plentiful. I don’t give a shit about anything else but taste. Taste and texture is where it’s at! Taste and texture in perfect combination is a wakeup call to the senses. The perfect crunch that stimulates your senses and makes you aware of the flavor explosion in your mouth.” 

I want you to taste the food and go ‘what the hell do I need the rest of the world for’. The Japanese tang cuts through the oppolunt French notes and they become a happy couple. You as a diner become happy. Food is supposed to make you happy. It is there to satisfy your hunger and make you happy. That’s how I want things and luckily, when I taste these new dishes I can’t help but smile. Man, I’ve been lucky, I think to myself.

But also classics and crowd pleasers like turbot in brown butter, tournedos rossini and even a salad or two. There will be a couple of tasting menus, as well. 5 or 9 dishes, respectively, priced at 550 or 1750. The more expensive option even comes wine pairings, coffee and sweets, too, at a very reasonable price for the location. Because, as Chef Dalsborg says, “I want Bjørnekælderen to be for everybody,” whether you are looking to fill yourself with a tasting menu or simply a few smaller dishes on a weeknight. Even just a side salad and a glass of wine.”

“I want this place to be for everybody,” he repeats, “whether you are wearing a cocktail dress or crocs and a wifebeater. Whether you are going to go all out or are simply looking to wind down with a couple of glasses of wine. I want this place to be simple, unassuming and fun. I want the guests to feel at home and I want to feel at home.”

Despite his relatively young age, he is well versed on the Copenhagen cooking scene and has quite a few merits to his name. Actually, his resume reads almost like the diary of a speed freak. He earned his stripes at Tinggaarden and went, as he says, for a brief stint in Southern France during his apprenticeship. He’s been at legendary Umami and equally legendary Admiralen and Krogs Fiskerestaurant. He was a party chef. A volunteer at Noma, for a very brief period, he laughs, and even at Ketchup in Tivoli, he finishes with a bit of a scoff. “Goddamnit, what a fast ride,” he finishes nearly out of breath, “things certainly went fast, man a lot of things have happened in my life,” ponders the 40-something chef whose most notable recent adventures include Bistro Pan Pan in Tivoli and Restaurant Mondæn.

“But then at some point in time, you also have to grow up and settle down a bit. Not that i will ever really grow up,” he says in another burst of laughter. “Pan Pan was a really good thing, it just wasn’t me. Mondæn was me, really. It taught me to be myself, trust myself. It was really me, but this. This will be even more me.”

“I hate masks, I’m tired of masks, I’ve personally worn masks for years, my life has demanded it but no more,” stresses Chef Dalsborg and tears into what he calls culinary fata morganas. Dishes that promise a lot through their styling but delivers nothing in terms of flavor. “I could make my food prettier,” he argues. But he doesn’t want to. His food, in his mind, should not be too made up or pretty. It should be honest. It should be the real deal. “If you see an herb on my food,” he says, “it is there not for looks, only because it makes sense!”

On finding his own space - and finding peace

“It was my partner Ole who gave me the shove,” he smiles thankfully when prompted about what inspired him to live out his dream and seek out his own space. “He is ridiculously supportive like that. Now is the time, Mads, he would say. Go find a suitable location”

So Mads looked and he looked some more for about half a year. He wanted to do things properly in the proper surroundings. His search centered around his beloved Frederiksberg borough and particularly Frederiksberg Allé. Frederiksberg was first place he lived when he came to Copenhagen and the expensive Frederiksberg Allé was the plot he would always look to own when playing the Danish version of Monopoly as a kid.

And it was one day cruising up and down Frederiksberg Allé that he was spotted by a friend who called him up saying “hey, what is going on?” - “Oh, um, I may be looking for a location to open a restaurant,” replied Mads. “Bjørnekælderen,” replied his friend matter of factly. So Mads and Ole went to have a look, and not long after, the papers were signed.

“It is a great place,” laughs Mads, “but also an old place - and it has taken a long time to bring it up to modern standards. Luckily, my dear friend and partner Ole has a very rare combination of ADHC and OCD,” he grins jokingly, “so he gets things done. And he gets them done well! I can say it like that because I am fucked up myself. He knows how fucked up I am, but also how loyal I am! I am forever grateful for Ole and my team.”

There are elements of trademark cockiness and playful joking to his words, of course, but still they leave no doubt that he would not be where he is without his partner and his team.”I am a complete imbecile when it comes to using a computer,” he admits, “and many other things for that matter. That’s why I have people like Louise to help me with SoMe and other things. That’s why I have Kim on as restaurant manager, Ole as a partner and other great people. Without them I would be nothing and I am not afraid to ask for help. They help me out and suddenly everything is great again and we are back to having fun.”

We have fun, we joke around, we play around and we laugh. We have fun. That’s how it should be. If I feel like bursting into a fit of laughter, I will. If my guests feel like doing the same. They should. They need to feel at home. Relax. Take a break from the stress of every day life. Order an extra bottle of wine when the missus isn’t looking. Then they can always go back to eating spaghetti with meat sauce the next day.

This is my definition of happiness. And that is above all what I want to achieve with the new place. To have fun and to be happy.

Bjørnekælderen expects to open its doors by 13th of October 2021