Three-Michelin star Geranium, founded and run by an extraordinary Danish chef, Rasmus Kofoed, is an exquisite example of the future of sustainable and environmentally-aware dining.
With an ethos that invokes the nurturing spirit of nature, Geranium’s mission “is to create meals that involve all our senses – restores, challenges, and enriches.”
The connection to nature within the Copenhagens urban setting is profound here. Nestled in the centre of city, with a view of the lush Fælledparken (Common Gardens) from the 8th floor of the national soccer team’s stadium, Geranium expertly merges metropolitan expectations with the soul-nurturing benefits of nature.
We spoke to Chef Rasmus about his inspirations, the connection he feels between inspiration and nature, and the future of the post-Covid hospitalty industry.
What do you feel influenced you to become a chef?
Just being a child growing up in nature – I grew up before the technical revolution and before screens. When I was bored, I went outside to do something… running, climbing in trees, searching for beautiful stones. That was important for me, and it shaped my way into the kitchen. I was very curious about cooking and about flavours [because of my curiosity about] nature. We didn’t have a TV in my home, so I didn’t know anything about being a chef. I started because I wanted to work with the creativity of the process.
What drives you and how do you perceive the process?
I’ve always been hungry to learn more. The culinary world is full of possibilities when you see them, and it’s full of life. [When you cook] you give people great experiences just like you would give your family and children nutritious food. Cooking is always an act of love.
How do you feel your motivations have changed over time?
Nature is still my biggest motivator — that’s where I find peace and where I see time changing because I can see things growing. On my recent walk through the park, I realised how much things changed from when we opened the first Geranium 14 years ago. [When we started, we were working long hours and not taking time off for family and personal time. Today that has changed in so many kitchens, especially in Scandinavia. You need to get the best out of life [in the moment] because time moves quickly, and you need to be present in life.
How do you perceive the challenges you face?
I never took the easy road. I always see challenges as positive steps on my way to progress, so I always see a challenge as a mountain you need to climb before you can see the next challenge on the horizon. I like challenges; I feel like they make me better and stronger and that I learn about myself.
What are you currently prioritising?
It’s not like I think about the next challenge… I really enjoy the process; when you focus and want to progress, that can become inspiring. We’re working on a lot of dishes for the new season. Spring is here, so we have a lot of aromatic herbs and flowers coming in. [Seasonal cooking] is always interesting, and it’s important to stay current with the world.
We’ve also been focusing on Geranium and making it an even better place to work; to make a great working space. We all spend a big part of our lives here, some more than others, so that needs to be great and meaningful. I try to inspire [my staff] to eat more healthy meals; to show them that eating and cooking are about nutrition and living a long healthy life. Otherwise, what is the purpose of living a long life if you’re sick? You can invest in your body, and that’s how I see it.
We are also working on the Geranium book, which is a big and inspiring book [about the restaurant, food, and cooking] that will be ready next year.
When you set up plant-only Angelika during the Covid pandemic, how did it influence your cooking and Geranium going forward?
It influenced [my outlook] a lot. I’ve been living on plant-based food for some time now. I think it’s very interesting and I felt that I needed to show people that cooking with vegetables could be healthy and very tasty. It’s how I cook for my family, and I wanted to show that to the public. I felt we needed to do something and I felt that [the Pandemic] was the right time to do it. We’re still doing [plant-based] popups, and we’re launching some more in Autumn. For example, one popup on a farm used everything from there. Doing it that way means you can taste and feel the ingredients and include them in the menu.
For sure, Angelika itself will pop up again.
What would you like to see change in the industry?
[Plant-based cuisine] is the direction I’ve been looking for since we opened. We serve a lot of plant and vegetable dishes, especially in the summer. We have some seafood right now, but it’s mostly vegetables. [In this way] Anglica has been a great inspiration for all of us.
Denmark is going in the right direction… but the older generation is eating way too much meat. The younger generation is eating a lot of plant-based food and focusing on the environment, which is connected to eating plant-based cuisine.
We’re still struggling in Denmark with a little too much meat on the plate in general, but it’s not something that can change from one day to another. It needs to be a steady process, and we need to convince people that eating more vegetables is healthy and tastes great as long as you choose the right ingredients and spices.
How do you achieve your work-life balance?
I think change is good for the industry. There’s a lot of focus on better working conditions for chefs and staff, and that’s great because it’s something we need to focus on – creating a better working space and work-life balance.
[We’re focusing on this] because I want to be successful at both and love my child – we have a lot of employees with children. For us, it’s about how we can enjoy being here, be present, and be with the family.
To achieve this we are closed from Sunday to Tuesday to encourage a balance between work and rest. This is very important so you can be the best version of yourself and find inspiration. A lot of inspiration comes from the world; it’s not just inspiration from the kitchen. You can also find it when you’re catching crabs in the river or walking in the forest and finding herbs… that’s inspiring and we all need that. Life is about more than just being in the kitchen, we need to absorb life and take it in.
For more information on Geranium:
Per Henrik Lings Allé 4, 8.
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø
Tel: +45 6996 0020
Website: https://www.geranium.dk/en