Zooming in on Two Stars: Gastrologik, Stockholm, Sweden

"In the sixth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries, which launched on February 18, 2019, Gastrologik was promoted from one Michelin star—which it had held since 2013—to two Michelin stars. Gastrologik is hidden away in a quiet area of Stockholm, and its discreet entrance means you can easily walk by without even realizing. Inside, it has a simple Scandinavian style, with wooden furnishings and plain white walls punctuated by copper highlights—which keeps the focus firmly on the open kitchen. The restaurant is owned by Anton Bjuhr and Jacob Holmström, who met many years ago when they started their apprenticeships. Bjuhr is from the north, where preserving is popular, while Holmström is from the south, where the focus is on seafood—each chef brings something different to the table. For them, everything starts with the ingredients, the majority of which are from Sweden, and the remainder from the neighboring countries. Over the years they have built strong relationships with their producers, growers and local farms and they visit them regularly. The day’s produce determines the surprise menu, which continually evolves as the season’s ingredients change over time—and the impressive wine list follows suit, with Burgundy leading the way in summer and Bordeaux in winter. The menu is made up of 20 or so beautifully presented, sophisticated dishes that are precisely prepared, well-balanced and creative in their use of flavors and textures—and while working to keep flavors natural, they also aim to enhance each main ingredient. Their respect for all produce leads them to regard an onion as being just as important as a truffle. Dishes are brought from the open kitchen at a steady pace, and in most cases, finished at the table by the chefs themselves, and the young serving team is friendly and focused." - The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Editorial Team