31-08-2016

Maaemo, the great Norway

Dining at Esben Holmboe Bang’s, the first (Danish) chef capable of bringing 3 Michelin stars to Oslo

The video introduction on the website of restaurant Maaemo, the first Norwegian restaurant to get 3 Michelin stars, last spring. Esben Holmboe Bang is the co-owner and chef, a Danish cook who moved to Oslo 12 years ago. A unique voice in the chorus of New Nordic Cuisine heroes

Oslo, the capital of Norway, is not a city famous for its restaurants, but things have changed, perhaps ironically owing to a Danish chef.

34-year-old Esben Holmboe Bang moved to Oslo 12 years ago and, in December 2010, opened his fine dining restaurant, Maaemo ("mother earth" in the ancient local dialect). He immediately showed great ambitions: first, to create a new expression of Norwegian cuisine based on local and seasonal produce, and second, to find his very unique voice among the New Nordic Cuisine heroes.

Now Maaemo is one of the strongest names in world cuisine, part of the elite of the 3 Michelin star restaurants [an acknowledgement received last February, a first for a Norwegian restaurant, following the second star, which arrived in 2012, only 15 months after the opening] and has already collected many awards, including the 61st place in the World’s 50Best.

 

Bang and his team of young chefs managed in a short time to become an established name in his adopted country, adding Oslo to the international route for gourmets. Determination, hard work and dedication to his job made him fearless before strong competition in the neighbourhood. You will find here a chef who is fully focused, seldom leaves his kitchen as he still firmly believes that the title of  “chef de cuisine” requires his full-time presence – a refreshing and much appreciated experience nowadays.

His approach to cooking is a perfect juxtaposition between traditional Norwegian roots and Nordic avant-garde naturalistic cuisine – from the aesthetic, to the outsourcing of his products, and his cultural and historical interest in the country which contribute in defining an identity. Sustainability is to the fore at Maaemo. Conservation is a major priority, and nothing is wasted in the kitchen. There is a room where pickles, relishes, vinegars and compotes share spaces with experiments aiming to use each product to its maximum capacity.

Esben Holmboe Bang, chef and co-owner at Maaemo, was born in Copenhagen 34 years ago
 

Esben Holmboe Bang, chef and co-owner at Maaemo, was born in Copenhagen 34 years ago
 

Tasting menus are original and delicious, offering the best of each season – from game to scallops, langoustines and fish, to earthy root vegetables and to foraged herbs and berries. His Sour cream porridge with cured and dry reindeer heart is one of his most iconic and comforting dishes, a poetic representation of the hard winter in Norway with its dramatic landscapes (the heart of the animal is preserved to help man to survive). A fabulous restaurant that all food lovers should add to their bucket list.

Maaemo
Schweigaards gate, 15 b
Oslo, Norway
+47.22179969
Closed on Sunday and Monday
Tasting menu only, for 2,300 Norwegian crowns (around 250 euros). Wine pairing is 1,690 crowns (182 euros), fruit juice pairing is 850 crowns (91 euros).

Sour cream porridge and cured and dry reindeer hea

Sour cream porridge and cured and dry reindeer heart. The tasting menu at Maaemo (around 250 euros) includes 20 dishes, a journey from the "mild" Hvaler islands to the icy waters of the northern fiords (photo by www.twofoodieseating.com)


Dal Mondo

Reviews, recommendations and trends from the four corners of the planet, signed by all the authors of Identità Golose

by

Luciana Bianchi

Half Italian, half Brazilian, she works both as chefs and as food writer. Among all the thing she does, she's author of the World’s 50 Best blog

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