Munk, the reigning Alchemist

As global food connoisseurs vie to book tables at the Copenhagen restaurant, chef Rasmus Munk gets ready with more food experiments

Wearing a black Acne Studios T-shirt, chef Rasmus Munk is at ease in one of the many conceptual dining rooms in the three-story space that makes up the Alchemist. The Copenhagen-based restaurant is part dining, part sensory, part social commentary, and wholly unique. As restrictions ease and people make their way back to restaurants, tables here are booked for months ahead (reservations for August to October sold out within 10 minutes). Small wonder, since it’s added another feather to its two-star Michelin status. Alchemist was recently crowned number one on OAD’s (Opinionated About Dining, a relatively new restaurant ranking started in 2017, that uses votes from globe-trotting eaters to rank the best eateries) list of top dining experiences in Europe. There’s a lot that sets it apart from other fine dining pilgrimages in the city. For one, it’s housed in the former set-building workshop of the Royal Danish Ballet, and boasts fantastical multimedia installations. For another, each meal is made up of 50 impressions (that’s their name for courses). And finally there’s Munk’s propensity to make diners ponder social and political issues of the day, from child labour to global warming, over artfully crafted dishes.