What/Who inspired you to become a chef?
I would say that my family, being the 4th generation of restaurateurs had a big impact on my choice. It was the natural course so to speak.
What is your culinary philosophy?
Try to be as local as possible and keep the balance in the meal. This is something I feel is very important.
How do you try to translate your philosophy onto the plate?
I just try to be as honest and genuine as I can be in my dishes.
What does the ‘art of plating’ mean to you?
To me the ‘art of plating’ is to try to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. For me, that’s very minimalistic because I think we have that within us growing up in Scandinavia.
Can you explain to us how the creative journey of your dishes begins?
Generally, I go for what’s in season and just work it out from there. If I get a special produce from the local farmer, or whoever has something great at the time, I will try to do something that feels ‘Vollmers’.
Do you have a particular dish/menu that was a favourite to create?
I think I would say that the ‘Childhood Memories’ on the menu, is one of my favourites. The dish is a take on my mother’s kålpudding (a very classical swedish dish) and definitely brings out the best in me.
What would you say has been the most memorable moment in your culinary career so far?
The most memorable moment by far is definitely when we received our second star.
What next for you and the restaurant?
Next up is at least try to go for the 3 star rating and see how far that takes us!
Is there a dish of another chef that you feel is iconic and why?
I don’t look that much at what other people do, so I can’t really say anything about that.
What do you think is on the horizon for the future of the fining dining scene?
I think we will have a bigger difference between ‘pop in’ restaurants, and people that go all in. You don’t make money on running a Michelin restaurant, so I think there will be less and less people prepared to make that sacrifice.
Who’s restaurant would you most like to eat at and why?
I would really like to try Paul Bocuse in Lyon just to have tried it!
Find out more about Mats and restaurant Vollmers here | vollmers.nu