The National Bailliage’s first event, following the second COVID-19 shutdown, took place on Denmark’s Constitution Day (June 5th) in the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen which were founded in 1843.

Échanson Christian Aarø, Restaurateur/Sommelier of the Michelin 2-star A|O|C - Aarø & Co - created a pop-up restaurant. A collaboration in 2019 between A|O|C, Nimb and the Michelin 2-star Koks (on the Faroe Islands) resulted in A|O|C and Koks taking turns having a pop-up restaurant in Tivoli. Planned for a repeat in 2020, due to the COVID -19 the project had to be postponed until 2021.

When Bailli Délégué Jørgen Krenk heard about the pop-up plan, he reserved half of the restaurant on the first Saturday it was open. The location in Tivoli was the Chinese Tower dating from 1900. Despite the tower’s name, it’s built in a Japanese style. Christian Aarø let the menu be inspired by this. Japanese ingredients were in all the dishes but not necessarily sourced from Japan. For instance, wasabi came from Iceland - geographically Iceland is on a par with northern Japan.

Our wine sponsor, Best Selection, provided most of the wines. For the reception we started with Champagne Doyard Mahé ‘Cuvée Empreinte’ Blanc de blancs Vertus Premier Cru. Selected by Christian Aarø it is now the Bailliage of Denmark’s chosen “house” Champagne.

The other wines were carefully matched by Christian and Sommelier/Wine Consultant Rico Jørgensen (former Restaurateur of Malling Kro). However, Christian was insistent on his own choice of wine for the main course.

MENU

Bao with scallop from Hitra (Norway)
vendace roe, tomato tonkatsu
Grüner Veltliner ‘Emerald’ 2016
Tegernseerhof Loibenberg - Austria

Limfjord oyster with apple dill and wasabi
peas with Baerii prestige caviar
pea pods chawan mushi (egg custard)
La Crema Chardonnay2018
Monterey, California

Grilled Læsø langoustine
katsuobushi (dried, smoked bonito), ponzu
Beaune 1er Cru ‘Les Graves’ 2014
Nicolas Potel - Burgundy, France

New onions, shiitake mushrooms
vin jaune, kombu tang
Beaune 1er Cru ‘Les Graves’ 2014
Nicolas Potel - Burgundy, France

Springbok
grilled greens, marrow, black garlic
Ashbourne Pinotage
Hemel-en-Aarde (Ed. Heaven and Earth) Valley
South Africa

Whitecurrants, elderflower
Kakigôri red berries
miso caramel, blackcurrant twigs
Hagn Chardonnay Beerenauslese 2016 - Austria

After dinner Chancelier Thorbjørn Moy gave the appreciation to the assembled brigades.

Firstly, he praised the staff for successfully managing to work smoothly in a new environment, with new equipment, and in less than a week.

Thorbjørn observed, “To make food at this level in your normal surroundings is one thing, to do it with great style in a new venue is a challenge in which you succeeded very well.” He also noted despite a “semi-open” kitchen there was complete calm, no noise was heard in the restaurant.

Regarding the menu, Thorbjørn praised fantastic craftsmanship. For example, the 100% round Bao crispy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. Not to mention extraordinary shiny petits fours that weren't so “petit”.

Thorbjørn invited Bailli Délégué Jørgen Krenk, in appreciation of their first-class service, to award Bailliage of Denmark service staff pins, reserved for only the best kitchen and service brigades.

Everyone continued to socialise catching up after the long break. Tivoli fireworks lit up the sky above our heads. A fantastic finale to the evening.

Torben Søemod
Conseiller Gastronomique