Nordic cuisine pioneer Niklas Ekstedt to open new restaurant Ekstedt in London at the Yard

Multi-award-winning Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt will open his first restaurant outside of Stockholm this September. The chef will launch his new restaurant Ekstedt at the Yard within the historic five-star Great Scotland Yard Hotel in Westminster, formerly the site of the Metropolitan Police. The hotel’s new flagship restaurant will bring Ekstedt’s signature style of wood-fired “old Nordic” cooking to the UK for the very first time.

The new venture will focus on traditional Scandinavian cooking techniques while using  Britain’s best seasonal ingredients. The menu will feature signature dishes from the Michelin-starred chef, alongside a varied choice of inventive cocktails and a pioneering natural wine list. The open kitchen, which feels like an extension of the restaurant floor, will allow diners to sit at the heart of the action as Ekstedt and his team prepare plates including a chef signature: Oyster Flambadou with Smoked Apple and Beurre Blanc Nasturtium. Other choices include: Ember Baked Leeks, White Fish Roe, Smoked Roe Deer; Reindeer, Smoked Celeriac, Black Pudding and Salt-Baked Roots to share; and a Cep Soufflé with Birch Ice Cream and Blueberries to finish.

Seasonal produce from dedicated farms will be sourced for the restaurant’s daily churned butter, freshly baked bread, pickles, ferments and cultures that will all be made in-house. We tried some of Ekstedt’s food in London three years ago when he came for Taste of London.

Ekstedt says: “I’m delighted to be working with Great Scotland Yard Hotel to realise my dream of opening a restaurant in London.  Great Scotland Yard Hotel is exactly the kind of place I had hoped to open Ekstedt in London. It is a building steeped in history, and you can’t beat the location. This is a huge moment for me. I have been in love with the UK for years, my family moved here when we were younger, and London has always felt like a second home for me. The team and I can’t wait to start cooking.” 

Sholto Smith, GM of Great Scotland Yard Hotel is equally enthused: “We are very excited to work alongside chef Niklas for the launch of Ekstedt at the Yard. The restaurant will be an integral part of the hotel and we are confident that he will be warmly welcomed both by our regular guests and the London food scene.” 

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Ekstedt at the Yard will open in September 2021. For further information or to book visit their website here.