Daniel Berlin

Skåne Sweden

When a young chef opens up in a remote area with few prospective diners, just because of the quality of the soil and produce, he’s clearly special. And when critics then hail him as a new king of Nordic cuisine, a stampede for seats in his tiny dining-room is inevitable. Daniel Berlin, holed up in a pretty old house on the eastern side of Skåne, Sweden’s southern foodie belt, does not disappoint. This is Wallander country – long grass fringing wild shores punctuated with organic farms – and the landscape is echoed in a sparse but elegant room accommodating five tables at most (a private dining room can seat up to 16 more). Although fish dishes like turbot with raw and seared cauliflower are exemplary, vegetables are the real star of 14 small courses. A charcoal-grilled celeriac, presented whole on a platter of leaves before being peeled and sliced into a bowl of creamy melted sheep’s cheese is a tour de force. Veal, bone marrow, pigeon with smoked beetroot, local cheeses and incredibly delicate desserts follow, with each course accompanied by fine natural wines. Absolutely worth flying to Malmö to experience before Berlin becomes an international superstar. AG. 00 46 417 20300, danielberlin.se