
This Is TASTE 740: TASTE Travels: Copenhagen
Mar 6, 2026
Christel Pixi, pastry chef and TV presenter who catalogs Denmark's fastelavnsboller. Klaus Thomsen, Coffee Collective co-founder and World Barista Champion who leads a Copenhagen coffee crawl. Nick Curtin, chef of Michelin-starred Alouette known for plot-based, locality-driven menus. They tour Copenhagen’s restaurants, specialty coffee scene, wood-fire and whole-animal cooking, and the city’s pastry and bakery traditions.
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Juice Pairings Offer Creative Control Like Wine
- Nonalcoholic juice pairings give restaurants complete control to amplify or contrast flavors like wine pairings do.
- Alouette's juice program, led by Aaron, balances acidity, bitterness, and body rather than defaulting to sweetness.
Social Safety Nets Reduce Entrepreneurial Risk
- Denmark's social safety net lowers the personal risk of opening a business, letting chefs pursue independent projects without catastrophic family consequences.
- Curtin says this reduced emotional toll allowed him to open Alouette with his wife rather than relying on deep-pocket backers.
Changing Dishes Weekly From Farm Visits
- Nick keeps inspiration fresh by visiting farms and aligning menu changes with what's in the field.
- Alouette changes one to two dishes weekly and swaps plots one to two times a month, especially many times in summer.
