Food and wine writer

Rasmus Palsgård

Article and project: Marco Storm Braskov & Liv Thorsted
Published: 1/12 2023
Theme: The Lindbergh Community

Meet Rasmus Palsgård “Feinschmeckeren” food and wine writer from Copenhagen

Get a unique insight into his passion for crafting delicious dishes and reviewing the top fine dining restaurants around the world. Rasmus’ background as a journalist and genuine interest for the gastronomical world gives him a credible voice in the food scene.

He’s always impeccably dressed, and menswear plays a huge role in how he pays respect to his surroundings and the level of quality he represents.

We were invited to his flat in Copenhagen to try out a tasty seasonal dish, with a filet of turbot, placed on a bed of cream sauce, based on chanterelle mushrooms and kale. Keep an eye on our Instagram, where the recipe and process will be presented.

Later we got to join him for a work visit at the Copenhagen hotspot, Connection by Alan Bates.

An intimate restaurant, with artistic décor and a welcoming atmosphere - one that inspires the guests to feel at home and be open to a night of excitement and culinary surprises.

Read our interview with him below and see his favourite AW23 styles.

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Rasmus is wearing: The overshirt, oxford shirt & 1927 cashmere touch pants

Interview

What is your name, occupation, and where do you live?

My name is Rasmus Palsgård, I'm a journalist and live in Copenhagen.

Have you always been interested in making good food and how did the food and wine industry become your livelihood?

Since I was a small child, food has always been of great importance to me. We've always cooked a lot. I cooked a lot with my parents and that introduced me to the amazing world of food and since then it's just been developing little by little. At some point, I decided to proceed in that direction and become a food and wine writer and really focus 100% on this passion.

Rasmus is wearing: Oxford shirt & 1927 cashmere touch pants

I felt a strong urge to work with gastronomy and I figured out that food writing and reviewing restaurants could be an ideal way to do it for me.

- Rasmus Palsgård

I've always loved cooking and I still have memories from my childhood, tasting, let's say, a carrot. I knew the taste and texture of a raw carrot, but then suddenly you taste a fried carrot with a bit of lemon and some spices and suddenly a new world opens.

That fascinated me a lot and encouraged me to go on and learn even more about cooking. I also knew that I didn't want to become a chef for several different reasons, but

I felt a strong urge to work with gastronomy and I figured out that food writing and reviewing restaurants could be an ideal way to do it for me.

It's an amazing job. I get to visit the best restaurants not only in Denmark, but also abroad. So, I feel very privileged to be able to do this.

Do you have a personal mantra, something you live by?

For me as a person, but also as a professional, it's always been very important for me to stay humble and always do my best in whichever situation I'm in, both in respect for the people I'm working with, but also for myself.

It's important for me to know that I've done my utmost in any given situation and even though you get success at some point, it's important to keep both feet on the ground – also in order to stay hungry, so to say, especially when you're working with restaurants.

Something I've told myself from the beginning is that if I ever get to a point where I don't appreciate sitting in an amazing restaurant, eating amazing food, having excellent wine - I promised myself that if that happens, I'll stop right away. To be able to work as a food writer and experience amazing restaurants and incredible craftsmanship is really a privilege that I appreciate so much.

So, if against what I personally think would ever happen, I’ll leave the spot to someone else.

Does it matter to you to dress well for your work and everyday life?

To dress up and present myself in a nice manner has always been important to me. First because I have a passion for menswear and on top of that, I think dressing up is a great way of showing that you appreciate the company of others. Let's say in my case, going to a restaurant in a nice suit shows that I've been looking forward to this experience instead of just showing up in a tank top and flip flops. That doesn't send the signals that I would like to send.

And yeah, it's also become a part of my image to dress in a certain way and people can even get disappointed if I'm not wearing a bow tie – it sometimes feel like they start thinking, ‘okay, what's wrong?’ So, I do it because I love it, but now it's also become a part of who I am.

Rasmus is wearing: Technical shirt, the technical suit , wool overcoat & striped tie

I think dressing up is a great way of showing that you appreciate the company of others.

- Rasmus Palsgård

What do you think is important when it comes to your clothing choices?

When it comes to building a wardrobe, I think it's important to stay true to your own style and taste, but also to follow some rules.

It’s always great to know the rules about how to dress, and then you can always break them afterwards. By knowing the rules, you can adjust to your personal preference and taste, and I think that's a good place to start.

I think another important thing is to focus on the fit. Let's say slim fit is in fashion, but your body is not suited for it, or you prefer something else, it’s crucial to make sure that e.g. the suit fits you and not the other way around. Even the best suit can look terrible if it doesn't fit the person who is wearing it.

So that would be a strong recommendation from me to make sure that whatever you're wearing, it has to fit well.

Rasmus is wearing: Technical shirt, the technical suit & striped tie

To be able to work as a food writer and experience amazing restaurants and incredible craftsmanship is really a privilege that I appreciate so much.

- Rasmus Palsgård

Do you have a style icon?

It's super cliche, but a character who has always inspired me is James Bond.

He's a leading figure within classic menswear. From wearing tuxedos in Casinos to khaki shorts, whenever he's hunting somebody in the desert. I think James Bond is always dressed perfectly for the occasion and that character has inspired me quite a bit.

Rasmus is wearing: Technical shirt, the technical suit & striped tie

What do you think is important to have in every wardrobe?

I think it's important to have at least one good suit in your wardrobe, because at some point, you'll need it. It's never nice to be invited to an event and you feel that you don't have the proper attire to wear, so you might as well just go out and find a good suit and then you'll be covered for almost any formal location.

I also like to have casual shirts in my wardrobe and some comfortable trousers that can work for everyday activities, like when being with the kids. Something you can use with a shirt or a blazer for an informal- or work-related event.

Finally, good quality shoes are mandatory. A pair of poor shoes can ruin the appearance of any good outfit. Go for goodyear-welted shoes – they will keep you going for years if you take care of them.

What made you choose these Lindbergh styles?

I've chosen two outfits for today. One is less formal – great for everyday activities, for instance, cooking. I've chosen a pair of quite flexible, comfortable trousers together with a fairly loose shirt that is easy to move around in and great for using your arms, being ready for any occasion.

On top of that, I've chosen a classic suit. I aimed for something rather traditional, a dark grey suit, paired with a white shirt. To me, that's one of the essential attires you need in your wardrobe.

How is it being a food writer right now in Denmark?

Being a food writer in Denmark right now might be one of the best professions you can imagine. The food scene is very much alive. New restaurant concepts show up every day and the level is still really high. I am also noticing how the producers and all the suppliers of produce constantly keep improving.

At the end of the day, the great produce is what will make a great meal.

So, for me, this job is really exciting, and I could mention 30, 40, 50 amazing restaurants that I could easily recommend and I think that's quite extraordinary for a small country like Denmark.

Rasmus is wearing: Technical shirt, the technical suit & striped tie

Is there a Danish food specialty one should try?

When foreigners are asking me what they should try when they visit Denmark, I always recommend “smørrebrød”, the open-faced sandwiches on rye bread. Rye bread plays such an important role in the everyday life of so many Danes and I think it's one of the unique dishes that we have here.

On top of that, I would also recommend seafood. Denmark is surrounded by water. The cold waters are perfect for seafood. I would even say that we have some of the best in the world.

What are you passionate about right now?

It might sound like a paradox at first, but for me, it is. It's very important to also stay healthy and active. Being a father, I want to make sure that I have a healthy and strong body, so that I can play with my children and therefore I exercise quite a bit.

It's also quite a good idea when you live from eating and drinking quite often.

So, CrossFit is a great passion of mine and apart from that, I would say anything that is part of the lifestyle of a classic gentleman: shoes and watches are topics that excite me.

Rasmus is wearing: Technical shirt, the technical suit , wool overcoat & striped tie

Being a food writer in Denmark right now might be one of the best professions you can imagine. The food scene is very much alive. New restaurant concepts show up every day.

- Rasmus Palsgård