If you’ve heard that Copenhagen “changed how the world eats” and wondered what that actually means, this is it: New Nordic cuisine. It’s the most influential culinary movement of the 21st century, and it started with a single manifesto signed here in 2004 by chef René Redzepi of Noma, entrepreneur Claus Meyer, and ten other Nordic chefs. In the two decades since, it reshaped how cooks everywhere think about local ingredients, fermentation, foraging and the link between a place and its plate.
This is the beginner’s guide to the whole thing — the manifesto, the founding chefs, the signature techniques, the restaurants past and present, and where to actually taste it in 2026. If you want the wider lay of the land first, our Copenhagen food guide is the hub; this is the deep dive on the movement behind it.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Manifesto signed | November 2004 in Copenhagen |
| Author | Claus Meyer (entrepreneur), Rene Redzepi (Noma), 10 co-signers |
| Founding restaurant | Noma (Christianshavn 2003 → Refshaleøen 2018 → closed traditional 2024) |
| Manifesto principles | Locality, seasonality, purity, sustainability, animal welfare |
| Signature techniques | Fermentation, foraging, lacto-pickling, pickling, smoking, charring |
| Signature ingredients | Sea buckthorn, beach mustard, lacto-fermented vegetables, ramsons, juniper |
| Geographic boundary | 5 Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland |
| Awards earned | Noma 5x World’s Best Restaurant; Geranium 2x #1; multiple Michelin stars |
| Books published | Noma cookbook (2010), Noma’s Guide to Fermentation (2018), more |
| Symposium | MAD Symposium founded 2011 by Redzepi — annual chef gathering |
The 2004 New Nordic Manifesto
In November 2004, 12 Nordic chefs and food entrepreneurs gathered in Copenhagen and signed the New Nordic Manifesto — a 10-point statement of principles. The signatories included René Redzepi (Noma), Claus Meyer (food entrepreneur and Noma co-founder), and chefs from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. What they were really doing was rejecting the French tradition that had ruled fine dining for 200 years, and replacing it with something rooted in their own climate and larder.
The ten principles, in brief:
- Express purity, freshness, simplicity and ethics in Nordic cooking.
- Reflect the changing seasons in the menu.
- Base cooking on ingredients suited to the Nordic climate, water, soil and terrain.
- Combine good taste with modern knowledge of health and well-being.
- Promote Nordic products and the people who produce them.
- Promote animal welfare and sound production in the seas, on farmland and in the wild.
- Develop new uses for traditional Nordic food products.
- Combine the best of Nordic cookery with impulses from abroad.
- Pair local self-sufficiency with regional sharing of high-quality products.
- Join forces with producers, researchers, teachers, politicians and authorities.
René Redzepi and Noma — the movement’s centre
Noma — opened in 2003 in Christianshavn by René Redzepi and Claus Meyer — became the global flagship. It was named #1 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2021. In 2018 it reopened on Refshaleøen as “Noma 2.0”, built around a garden, greenhouses and a foraging lab; it closed its traditional restaurant format in 2024 and now runs as a “test kitchen” with periodic Noma Projects events. For where that leaves dinner today, see our Noma booking guide.
The Signature Techniques
Fermentation
Fermentation is the most distinctive technique of the lot. Noma opened a dedicated fermentation lab in 2014 (under chef David Zilber) and its 2018 book, “Noma’s Guide to Fermentation,” became a bestseller. The repertoire includes lacto-fermented vegetables (peas, asparagus, gooseberries), garum (fish-and-grain fermented sauces), miso made from chickpeas, beef or lobster, koji-cured proteins, fermented “black honey,” and vinegars distilled from foraged fruit.
Foraging
New Nordic chefs forage anywhere from 50 to 200 wild ingredients a season. Common finds around Copenhagen: ramsons (wild garlic, March–May), sea buckthorn berries (autumn), wood sorrel, beach mustard, sea kale, dulse seaweed, spruce tips (spring), elderflower (May–June), beach roses and oyster leaf. Most Michelin-tier kitchens employ a dedicated forager.
Lacto-pickling and preservation
Quick lacto-fermenting — 5 to 21 days at room temperature in a salt brine — preserves summer vegetables for winter. Snow peas, asparagus, gooseberries, plums and ramsons all get the treatment. It’s a direct descendant of pre-refrigeration Nordic food preservation.
Smoking, charring and open fire
Hot- and cold-smoking, wood-fire grilling and charred vegetables are all signatures. Noma’s 2018 rebuild included dedicated smokehouses, Geranium uses charred vegetables across the menu, and Alchemist’s “burnt” courses nod to the same idea.
Pickling and aged vinegars
Pickles and aged vinegars supply the acidity that wine provides elsewhere. Sea buckthorn, gooseberry and lingonberry vinegars are standard, and ageing them for three to seven years is increasingly common.
What a Beginner Actually Tastes
Reading about garum and koji is one thing; sitting down to it is another. Here’s what to expect the first time, so nothing throws you. Portions are small and there are lots of them — a tasting menu is a sequence of precise bites, not big plates. Flavours lean sour, bitter and umami rather than rich and buttery; that fermented tang is the house accent, not a mistake. Vegetables are frequently the star, even at the very top (Geranium and Iluka build whole menus around them). And you’ll be told a story with almost every course — which fjord the langoustine came from, when the herbs were picked. Lean into it; the context is half the point.
A few honest tips. Don’t come starving expecting volume — you’ll leave satisfied, but it’s about intensity, not quantity. Say yes to the juice pairing if you’re curious; Nordic kitchens take non-alcoholic pairings seriously and the fermented juices are often the most memorable thing on the table. And if a dish sounds strange (reindeer moss, ants, aged fish), order it anyway — the “weird” course is usually the one you’ll still be talking about a year later.
Where to Eat New Nordic in Copenhagen
Three stars
Geranium (chef Rasmus Kofoed) has been vegetable-leaning since 2022 and was World’s 50 Best #1 in 2022 and 2023. Around 5,000 kr for the menu.
Two stars
Alchemist (Rasmus Munk) — a multi-sensory, 50-act immersive experience. Jordnær (Eric Vildgaard) — a 14-seat, seafood-focused counter. Kadeau Copenhagen (Magnus Kofoed) — a Bornholm-island-focused tasting. Noma (René Redzepi) — currently in its transformed format.
One star and Bib Gourmand
Iluka (Beau Clugston, ex-Noma) — a vegetable-focused one-star. Restaurant Geist — Bib Gourmand modern Nordic. Pluto — innovative casual Nordic. Mêlée — a wine bar with a full Nordic menu. Apollo Bar — modern Nordic at Charlottenborg. For the full round-up and how to book, see our Michelin restaurants in Copenhagen guide.
Casual New Nordic
Manfreds (Christian Puglisi, ex-Noma) — bistro-style natural-wine Nordic. Hija de Sanchez (Rosio Sanchez, ex-Noma) — Mexican-Nordic fusion. Restaurant Pony and Restaurant Mes — casual Vesterbro spots. These are the affordable way in; our cheap eats in Copenhagen guide has more in this register.
New Nordic Ingredients to Recognise
- Sea buckthorn (havtorn): bright orange Nordic berries, huge in vitamin C, a signature New Nordic flavour.
- Lingonberries (tyttebær): wild forest berries, tart-sweet, classic with game.
- Ramsons / wild garlic (ramløg): the spring foragers’ favourite, used everywhere in season.
- Beach mustard / sea rocket: a wild brassica and coastal-forage staple.
- Spruce tips: bright, lemony notes; available for a week or two in May, pickled or made into syrup.
- Sea kale: beach-foraged, mild and crunchy.
- Elderflower: May–June flowers, the taste of Nordic spring.
- Black currants and gooseberries: garden classics in Nordic kitchens.
- Oyster leaf: a coastal plant that tastes uncannily of oyster; rare and prized.
- Juniper berries: a wild Nordic spice used at nearly every New Nordic restaurant.
New Nordic’s Influence Beyond Copenhagen
The movement has reshaped global fine dining since 2004:
- Maaemo (Oslo): three Michelin stars; New Nordic principles applied to Norwegian terroir.
- Frantzén (Stockholm): three stars; Swedish New Nordic.
- The Inn at Little Washington (USA): a strong New Nordic influence under chef Patrick O’Connell.
- Pujol (Mexico City): native ingredients and fermentation, a New Nordic-influenced philosophy.
- Atomix (NYC): a Korean-American, New Nordic-style tasting.
- Den (Tokyo): Japanese New Nordic influence — local ingredients, casual fine dining.
Read and Watch
- Books: “Noma” (2010), “A Work in Progress” (2013), “Noma’s Guide to Fermentation” (2018), “Geranium” by Rasmus Kofoed (2020).
- Documentary: “Noma: My Perfect Storm” (2015).
- Mini-series: “Chef’s Table: René Redzepi” (Netflix, 2017).
- MAD Symposium videos: 100+ chef talks, free at madsymposium.org.
- Episode: “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: Copenhagen” (2008), an early Noma profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New Nordic cuisine, in one line?
A culinary movement defined by the 2004 New Nordic Manifesto, emphasising local ingredients, seasonality, purity, fermentation, foraging, sustainability and animal welfare. It was born in Copenhagen, largely through Noma and the chefs around René Redzepi.
Where can I eat it in Copenhagen?
At essentially every Michelin-starred restaurant in the city. Geranium, Alchemist, Jordnær, Kadeau, Iluka and Restaurant Geist are the best known, with casual versions at Manfreds, Hija de Sanchez, Pluto and Mêlée.
Who started it?
René Redzepi and Claus Meyer co-founded the movement, signing the 2004 manifesto with ten other Nordic chefs. Redzepi at Noma became its public face; Meyer was the entrepreneur and ideologue behind it.
Is it all foraged?
No — but foraging is a recognisable signature. Most New Nordic restaurants use 30–60% locally cultivated ingredients (Bornholm farms, Limfjord shellfish, Faroese fish), 20–40% foraged wild ingredients, and 10–20% imported (citrus, spices, certain grains).
How is it different from traditional Danish food?
Traditional Danish cooking — smørrebrød, frikadeller, flæskesteg, smoked herring — leans on pickled fish, pork-and-rye and dairy. New Nordic uses a similar ingredient base but applies modern techniques (fermentation labs, precise temperature control), goes plant-forward, and drops the butter-and-cream French sauces. Our best smørrebrød guide covers the traditional side.
Is it vegetarian-friendly?
Increasingly, yes. Geranium removed all meat in 2022, becoming the world’s first vegetable-leaning three-star, and Iluka is vegetable-focused. Most kitchens offer dedicated vegetarian and vegan tasting menus with 7+ days’ notice.
How much does it cost?
Three-star Geranium: 5,000 kr. Two-stars: 2,400–2,800 kr. One-stars: 1,200–1,800 kr. Bib Gourmand: 600–800 kr. Casual New Nordic (Manfreds): 350–500 kr.
What is the MAD Symposium?
MAD (“food” in Danish) is an annual chef gathering founded in 2011 by René Redzepi. Held in Copenhagen each August, it draws around 600 international chefs for talks and workshops — nicknamed “the TED Talks of food.” Free videos at madsymposium.org.
Related Reading
- Copenhagen food guide — the broader eating strategy.
- Copenhagen’s best bakeries — where many ex-Noma chefs landed.
- Ready-made trip plans — fitting a big meal into your trip.
Final Thoughts
New Nordic cuisine is Copenhagen’s most significant cultural export in decades. The 2004 manifesto reshaped fine dining worldwide, Noma trained 800+ chefs who now run kitchens across the globe, and the techniques — fermentation, foraging, lacto-pickling — are standard in Michelin restaurants on every continent. To taste it properly, book Geranium, Jordnær, Kadeau or Alchemist at the top end, or Iluka and Manfreds for something more relaxed. Read one of Noma’s books before you go if you can; the philosophy genuinely deepens the meal.
Restaurant details and prices change — check before you book. Last updated: July 2026.
