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The National
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The National
From Noma to Poulette: How Copenhagen's restaurants shaped The Bear
In a bright Copenhagen bakery, actor Lionel Boyce was more interested in perfecting croissants than memorising lines. Each day, he would join Hart Bageri's staff, rolling pastries and absorbing the meditative rhythm that would later define his pastry chef character Marcus on The Bear, season four of which begins Thursday. Amid the bakery's light, airy interior – with its high ceilings, expansive windows and beams – there was no script to follow, no intensive coaching. Just the endless repetition of folding and shaping until the movements became instinct. 'We just treated him like any aspiring employee who came to work for us,' Hart Bageri creative director and baker Talia Richard-Carvajal tells The National. 'It was a few years ago, so we're talking around the time they were preparing for the second season [which aired in 2022], and I remember our attitude was like, 'Listen, it's lovely that you're here, but now you really need to work.'' Boyce was immediately comfortable with the rigours of the craft. 'It made me realise that we're more similar professions than we perhaps thought,' she notes. 'You have to be the kind of person who finds joy in repetition, and you always have to be open to learning from scratch to a certain degree. You have to be humble enough to appreciate that you're not going to get it right on the first go.' For a series based on the triumphs and travails of a fine-dining restaurant in Chicago, the training mattered. In The Bear, the food always seems to be saying something. The exacting craft of a perfectly cooked Chilean sea bass with tomato confit signals a kitchen in control, while a croissant ragefully hurled to the floor screams chaos. The point of training wasn't for actors to merely act or move like chefs. It was to think like one and experience the kitchen from the inside, with all the awareness and aches that come with its momentum and monotony. To get it right, the producers looked to Copenhagen. They consulted Rene Redzepi, co-founder of Noma – arguably the Danish capital's most famous restaurant, which earned its third Michelin star in 2021. Redzepi also appeared briefly in season three. Lead character Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is said to have trained at Noma, a detail that explains his obsessive standards and quiet discipline. His pastry chef, Marcus, follows that path more literally. In the dedicated season two episode Honeydew, directed by Ramy Youssef, he travels to the Danish capital to deepen his craft. That connection is concrete behind the scenes. Amid Noma's foraged gardens – with elderflower, wood sorrel and wild herbs – Boyce trained alongside the team during service in Copenhagen, with scenes shot inside Noma's actual kitchen. 'Our team was just amazed by the scale of the whole thing. The cameras, the crew and the operation were incredible and genuinely fun for everyone to be part of,' recalls Annika de las Heras, managing director at Noma Projects. 'I think there's a lot of overlap between film, design and food. It's always interesting to see how people working creatively and with care can come together like that.' The detail was so precise that Rosio Sanchez – a Chicago-born Mexican chef who made a cameo appearance in season three – found herself recoiling during some of the show's more intense kitchen scenes. 'I actually thought, 'Wow, this is so real'. It's so accurate to how it feels to be in these moments,' she says. 'I was at the edge of my sofa just thinking, this is making me cringe because I can so relate to it.' That said, the rush actors feel following the director's cue of 'action' mirrors her daily experiences when opening her restaurant. 'It's that same adrenalin of getting ready for service each day,' she adds. 'Our daily service is its own version of a television production.' Not all of The Bear' s Copenhagen discoveries came through research or industry contacts. Sometimes, stumbling on a small shop selling chicken sandwiches can matter just as much. In the Norrebro district is Poulette, known not for innovation, but for perfection, for getting the fried chicken sandwich right. There is retro neon signage, a short and focused menu and their signature sandwich – crispy, seasoned thigh meat, tangy slaw, pickles and a soft brioche bun. In the Copenhagen episode, Marcus drops by the restaurant to try the sandwich, relishing in its flavours and craft. Co-founder Martin Ho says a local production crew scouting locations for the series found the place by chance. 'They came when they were scouting locations for the second season, and then suddenly a Danish production company reached out to us. We didn't know what it was for, and then the next thing we knew, they were filming outside, and we figured out it was The Bear," he tells The National. "We didn't even know they came to Poulette, but apparently they did." Whether it's the success of the series or pop star Dua Lipa reportedly calling it one of the best sandwiches she's ever had, Poulette now sells up to 800 sandwiches a day, with a line of over 20 people outside when it opens daily at 11am. Whether The Bear captures all the intricacies of running a restaurant is up for debate. Like every dish, every kitchen has its own story, whether in Chicago or Copenhagen, shaped by its staff, their experiences and their traditions. But one truth the show gets right is that the trade is all about giving. 'It's about doing something for someone else, serving people and making something that makes people happy,' says Sanchez. 'But it's also performance. Like actors, every day the doors open we're on our own stage. And the magic comes in seeing people come together and do inspiring things.'
Irish Examiner
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Darina Allen: Three highlights from my MAD trip to Copenhagen
MAD Food Symposium may just be the most exciting and inspiring avant-garde food event in the world – it's certainly up there – often dubbed the Davos of food. It brings together a global community, some of the most innovative minds in hospitality, to discuss and shape the future of food, explore new ideas and gain new perspectives. Held on Refshaleøen, an island just off Copenhagen, we jumped on a boat at 8am, arrived to a cheering welcome from the MAD team. Over the bridge and onto the island, we found two huge circus tents, one with long tables piled high with a breakfast feast – flaky breakfast pastries from Hart Bageri, an onion quiche smothered in grated cheese, crispy capers and thyme leaves, and breakfast bun with slivers of Comté cheese, segments of pomelo and superb, batch brew coffee from Cafeología in Chiapas in Mexico. And so the two-day event began. Launched by chef-founder René Redzepi, one inspirational speaker after another interspersed with coffee breaks, artisan beer and tea from Henrietta Lovell's, The Rare Tea Company sourced from ethical tea gardens around the world. The rooibos tea, not usually my favourite, was a new experience. Lunch was from Anajak, and cooked by the MAD Noma team, dishes from the ever-evolving restaurant of the same name in Los Angeles. Chef-owner Justin Pichetrungsi gave us delicious tastes of his Thai and Mexican flavours. The theme of MAD 2025 was 'Build To Last'. Thomas Keller, chef of The French Laundry and Per Se in New York discussed what our legacy could be. Roman Krznaric, the philosopher and author, asked, how can we be good ancestors? Four young Icelanders —wild salmon guides —spelled out the true cost of the farmed salmon industry on our health and the environment and pleaded with the 700-strong audience not to buy or serve farmed salmon. Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express in London, whom I wrote about in my column here on May 24 2025 recounted her incredible story… The second MAD Food Symposium breakfast was a Mexican array by Rosio Sanchéz, one of the most beloved chefs and restaurateurs in Copenhagen. Lunch was a feast celebrating 'nose to tail' eating from the iconic London restaurant St. John established by Fergus Henderson, Trevor Gulliver and Jon Spiteri in 1994. Roast marrow bones, parsley and caper salad and flaky sea salt, a wondrous chicken and ox tongue pie and the legendary Eccles cakes with an aged Lancashire cheese. Go online to to see extracts from the speakers. Apart from MAD, there are many other delicious reasons to visit Copenhagen. Aside from the many Michelin-starred restaurants, there are neighbourhood restaurants, cool cafés, wine bars and smorgasbord places. Book ahead to bag a table at Restaurant Schønnemann (Est 1877). I failed to get in despite offering to lay tables and wash up! But I did return to Atelier September, a perennial favourite of mine. The bakery scene is amazing too. Don't miss Lille Bakery, Alice, Juno and Louise Bannon's Tír… My best new find was Bar Vitrine. I loved every bit of the small menu and was mesmerised by the selection of natural wines. I also returned to Ved Stranden 10, another timeless, consistent and delicious wine bar serving many natural wines by the glass... We packed all of that into just four days, plus a bit of shopping too in Nørrebro and don't miss the best cheese shop in the ostehandler (cheesemongers) and the posh Torvehallerne Food Market. Trine's Prawns with Dill Trine Hahnemann shared this recipe for a simple smørrebrød. 'When I have time, I like to peel the prawns myself. I love to buy several kilos of them, invite people over and have a long lunch, everyone peeling them for their own smørrebrød.' Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Total Time 10 mins Course Main Ingredients 40g homemade mayonnaise ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 300g good-quality cooked peeled prawns 4 large slices of rye bread 1 fat spear of fresh green asparagus freshly ground black pepper a handful of fresh dill sprigs 1 lemon, sliced Method Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Place the prawns on the bread, then spoon the lemon mayonnaise. Shave the asparagus into ribbons with a vegetable peeler. Put a tangle of the asparagus strips on the mayonnaise. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, add the dill sprigs and serve with lemon slices. Bar Vitrine's Fermented Chili Salsa with Corn Chips Bar Vitrine at Møntergade 5 was my most exciting new find. Course Side Ingredients Kimchi Base: 30g glutinous rice flour 400g water 100g red chilli 100g garlic 250g shallots 30g ginger 10g degi chilli powder (a distinctive Indian spice made from a blend of colourful red capsicums and Kashmiri red chillies) 10g kashmiri chilli 500g pear 100g sugar 37g salt Fermented Chili Salsa: 20g loquats 20g white peach 20g blood orange 30g datterino tomatoes, peeled 30g kimchi base Corn and Fenugreek Chips: So delicious to nibble. 150g cornmeal 50g cornstarch 7g salt 1000g water 15g fenugreek Method Kimchi Base: In a saucepan, combine the rice flour and water and cook into a thick paste. Blend all the remaining ingredients with the rice paste in a Thermomix until smooth. Seal into vacuum bags and ferment for 7-14 days. Fermented Chili Salsa: Cut the loquats, white peach, blood orange and tomato into 8mm dice approx. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients with the kimchi to make the salsa. Top with crushed roasted corn and chiffonade of fresh coriander. Corn and Fenugreek Chips: Combine the cornmeal, cornstarch, salt and water and cook on medium until thick and cornmeal is completely cooked out. Add the dried fenugreek and spread onto parchment in a thin layer and dehydrate at 65°C overnight. Fry at 220°C until crispy and puffed. Crush a couple to sprinkle over the salad and pop into a serving bowl to serve on the side. Serve the salsa in a bowl accompanied by the corn and fenugreek chips. Charlotte's Nordic Seed Crackers A brilliant recipe for those seedy crackers we all love. Delicious simly with butter, cheese or smoked salmon. Preparation Time 40 mins Cooking Time 1 hours 10 mins Total Time 1 hours 50 mins Course Baking Ingredients 200g sunflower seeds 130g pumpkin seeds 70g flax seeds 70g sesame seeds 2 tablespoons psyllium husk 2 tablespoons almond flour 1 teaspoon salt 450ml water poppy seeds and sea salt for sprinkling Method Preheat the oven to 150°C fan (300°F/Gas Mark 2). Line the two baking trays with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together (should be the consistency of watery porridge). Allow the mixture to sit and thicken for approximately 30 minutes. Divide in half and spread as thinly as possible on parchment paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and poppy seeds on top. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 70 minutes until dry. Store in pieces in an air-tight tin. Keep dry, pop into a hot oven for a few minutes before serving to crisp them up. Seasonal Journal Ummera Smoked Products Some brilliant news on the food front, I've just heard that Ummera Smokehouse is back in operation with Sorin and Inna Cernelea at the helm. They will continue with the production of the prize-winning classics — Smoked Organic Salmon, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Bacon, Smoked Silverhill Duck, Gravadlax and Smoked Organic Picanha Beef - can't wait… Green Saffron Curry Powder Arun Kapil of Green Saffron, based in Midleton, Co. Cork has just added a new spice blend Crackin Curry Powder to his offerings. They ethically source their sustainable spices direct from partner and family farms all around India. The fresh spices travel at top-speed from these family farms in India (with 100% traceability), making the trip from 'source to sauce' in just a matter of weeks. Check out his monthly column in An Editions (imprint online magazine Ars Notoria) at Read More Darina Allen: Three recipe highlights from the Ballymaloe Festival of Food
