This year's Nobel menu, signed by chef Jessie Sommarström and pastry chef Frida Bäcke, has been a well-kept secret until the guests take their seats in the Blue Hall at Stockholm City Hall.
However, the creators shared a few clues in advance: it's about Swedish base ingredients, and one of the components is whole grain porridge.
Jessie is an incredible chef, the way she works with vegetables is outstanding. She dares to use Swedish legumes, and I'm happy to join that train. I'm not personally a fan of porridge, but I'd gladly eat Jessie's, says chef and cookbook author Siri Barje.
Praises Swedish raw materials
Jessie Sommarström was named Chef of the Year 2022 and has also been awarded the Gastronomic Academy's gold medal. After many years in the restaurant industry, including at Esperanto and Sturehof in Stockholm, she now works as a gastronomic chef at Sodexo, which supplies food to schools and elderly care, among others.
Frida Bäcke is responsible for the Nobel dessert and has been named "Pastry Chef of the Year" for two years in a row. She also praises Swedish raw materials in the form of apples.
It's crazy smart to use apples since it's been such a crazy apple year. Very good that they chose to use seasonal raw materials, says Siri Barje.
Refined presentation
One who knows what it's like to be in the hot seat in the Golden Hall's kitchen on the 7th floor of Stockholm City Hall is last year's Nobel chef Jacob Holmström. He also gives the menu his stamp of approval.
I've only seen the starter on TV, but it looked very nice. Classic flavors and a refined presentation. Nice with chicken too, it's been many years since. Jessie is known for her legume craze, so it's a smart move to combine them with protein.
And the porridge that has become a snack, even though it's actually cooked grain. But calling it porridge and serving it at the Nobel Prize ceremony does give it a little twist, he says.
Mixed fear and delight
According to Jacob Holmström, the most critical moments are already over since 99 percent of the dinner is prepared in advance.
If you've just made a menu that fits the purpose, then there's not much that can go wrong. But you need to think ahead when you put together the menu, as there's a lot of logistics involved and food that needs to withstand both reheating and transportation.
How does it feel to follow the festivities from the TV couch this year?
It's with a mix of fear and delight. The task undoubtedly has a certain level of anxiety, at the same time it's perhaps the most fun I've had, says Jacob Holmström.
Starter:
Goat cheese from Östergötland filled with libbsticka. Served with Swedish beets, honey, and rosehip, as well as roasted pumpkin seeds.
Main course:
Quenelle of chicken, Swedish legumes, and autumn truffle from Gotland.
Rutabaga glazed with miso on Swedish farm beans and cabbage bouquet with a flavor of herbs and apple. Served with a modern cultural porridge on clipped grain, wild and cultivated mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke, and a roasted chicken sky with Pomme de Vie.
Dessert:
Variation on Swedish apples. Terrine on caramelized Frida apples. Burnt butter cake on hazelnut flavored with spruce shoots. Cream on rosehip and thinly sliced apples with chamomile. Served with a chamomile ice cream and punch.
Source: nobelprize.org
