By Majella Taylor, New Openings Editor, H&C News: Björn Frantzén launches Studio Frantzén at Harrods.
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Björn Frantzén will launch Studio Frantzén at Harrods next month, a restaurant, rooftop terrace and bar spanning two floors. Studio Frantzén is presented as a neo-Nordic concept infused with Asian influences.
Björn Frantzén is one of the worlds’ most renowned chefs, heralding six Michelin stars across a growing empire of restaurants and culinary experiences, but Studio Frantzén will herald his exclusive entry into the UK dining scene. His self-named restaurant in Stockholm, Frantzén, holds three of these stars, and currently sits at No.25 on the World’s 50 Best List.
Frantzén joins a host of award-winning restaurants and world-renowned chef profiles that reside under one roof at Harrods, a destination that has increasingly become the most talked about dining hot spot in London.
The 112-seat restaurant is a must-visit culinary destination that offers a curated à la carte menu, with additional seating available on Studio Frantzén’s mezzanine and terrace for guests to enjoy. Remaining true to his roots, Frantzén has created a menu with influential touches, defined by distinctive modern flavours and texturised yet refined cooking that emphasise the raw beauty, seasonality and purity of an ingredient. His style is underpinned by an undeniable level of knowledge and an impeccable service and style that is present but never pretentious. A carefully curated Nordic inspired drinks list will be served inside a bar and restaurant area that has been designed and built custom within Harrods top two floors, with an interior that exudes a contemporary yet luxurious interpretation of Scandinavian design. A rooftop terrace – the first to be custom built on the London landmark – will provide panoramic views across London.
Whilst the menu largely celebrates the unique combination of Swedish and Asian flavours, it offers iconic British dishes, particularly showcased within the desserts displaying a Nordic or Asian twist. The technical combination of flavours, textures, and seasonal produce, as well as a focus on preservation techniques – a theme in Nordic cooking (smoking, preserving) – and grilled dishes using an open fire will be demonstrated throughout the menu.
Highlight starters include: Tartar of tuna and red deer, Vendace roe from Kalix, white kombu, wasabi infused cultured cream, fermented Mirabelle plum and warm ginger butter – a true Frantzén signature dish; Danish hiramasa sashimi with truffled dashi vinaigrette served with preserved meyer lemon, green onions and black radishes and Roasted scallops with scrambled duck eggs, black truffle, beurre noisette, crispy lichens and smoked pea soy which represents a very iconic Swedish dish.
Moving through to mains: Veal minute “ma-la” made with fermented kampot pepper jus, sichuan pepper oil, crispy shiso salad with ceps aioli and sake braised maitake is presented as a must-try dish which combines both spicy and aromatic flavours that work beautifully together. Salad Bonito-Caesar – a Japanese twist on the traditional Caesar salad provides perfect early dinner option whilst the more hearty dishes from the fireplace include: Salmon from the Faeroe Islands with finger lime, sea buckthorn, kosho and beurre blanc; Quail with dried spruce and bee pollen, vanilla and black pepper emulsion; Autumn Lamb with Wasabi and mint “raita” and grilled cucumber and an aptly named dish ‘Sweden vs Japan’ – braised Swedish dairy cow beef brisket (salted, preserved, braised and cooked for eight hours) served alongside grilled Japanese wagyu with lemongrass jus and Japanese mustard. A great dish that combines two cultures perfectly.
Sweet-toothed signatures from the dessert menu include an ‘After Eight’ tart; Lingonberry marshmallow sorbet “soft serve style” with semi dried lingon & blueberries, black currant syrup and liquorice meringue and sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel, bourbon, sesame ice cream and candied pecans.
Björn Frantzén comments: “The UK was my home for a long time, and the experience that I gained here early on my career played an informative role in my education as a chef. I am overwhelmingly proud to be back in London, one of the most interesting cities in the world, to open my restaurant at Harrods.”
Ashley Saxton, Director of Restaurants and Kitchens comments: “Bringing Björn Frantzén – arguably the most talked-about and decorated chef in the world now – to Harrods is an incredible coup for the business, but one that speaks for our current position as a dining destination. Our two teams have been working closely together for almost two years to make this a reality, and every aspect of this partnership has been meticulously panned – from the custom interior designed space inside this Grade II listed building, to the dramatic rooftop terrace, to the incredible ingredients and techniques that will be seen in London for the first time. This will be the flagship restaurant in our already world-leading collection of the finest luxury dining experiences and put Knightsbridge on the map as the new culinary destination for London.
Restaurant News is Sponsored by Santa Maria Foodservice UK
