When the two owners of The Samuel restaurant came across the dark-stained Diplo box at Spring Copenhagen, they knew straight away that it had to be on the menu. The design fits perfectly with a restaurant that is anything but New Nordic.
It all began with an idea. An idea to create a moment of surprise. A split second where you think things are as they usually are. But you quickly realise that they’re not at all. The idea was to serve petit fours in an old cigar box. The silver ones.
Now, you may not have gone hunting for one of these yourself – but if you have, you’ll know that they’re virtually impossible to track down.
The hunt for the perfect box
The idea came from Rasmus Knude and Jonathan Berntsen, who own The Samuel restaurant in Hellerup, north of Copenhagen. After searching for the cigar boxes for long enough, they gave up.
However, they didn’t give up on the idea, and after speaking to Claus Nielsen, co-owner of Spring Copenhagen, the two restaurant owners had a lightbulb moment. The Diplo box, made of dark-stained oak with uneven edges, was the perfect replacement for the old cigar boxes. And that’s how Diplo ended up in a high-profile Michelin-starred restaurant.
Heavy curtains and plenty of caviar
The cuisine at The Samuel is characterised by southern European flavours. Plenty of caviar. And plenty of foie gras. There is nothing ‘New Nordic’ about The Samuel. The flavours are deep and intense, and so is the interior design. With heavy curtains, parquet flooring and stucco.
“Our restaurant reflects who we are as people. We’re a bit different, and we like that old, opulent style – classic Southern European,” says Rasmus Knude.
That’s why it made perfect sense to incorporate a solid box made of dark-stained oak into the menu at The Samuel.
The restaurant’s Southern European style evidently also went down well with the Michelin Guide. In fact, they awarded the restaurant a star – just five months after it opened in November 2020.
An explosion of aromas
Once guests at The Samuel have worked their way through starters, main courses and dessert, a Diplo is placed on the table.
Most guests assume there’s a bill inside. There isn’t. There’s a bed of cocoa nibs. And three different chocolate-based petit fours: ganache, smoked whisky and smoked salt; milk chocolate and caramelised milk; and white chocolate with banana and browned butter.
“Guests think it’s brilliant. When they open the box, they’re met by a little explosion of aromas coming from the different petit fours,” says Rasmus Knude about the reaction to the box as a replacement for a classic white dessert plate.
Constantly evolving
That’s why he doesn’t hesitate when asked whether he and his partner might consider doing something similar in the future.
“We’re always up for trying something new. If we don’t evolve, we stand still.”
For now, however, it’s Diplo that’s on the menu at The Samuel. And it’s set to stay there, right until the two innovative restaurant owners come up with a new idea to try out.
Photos: The Samuel/Michael Jeppesen, MTJ Studio
