Dave Harrison, Chef
Words by Ditlev Fejerskov. Photos: Kavian Borhani
We met with Head-chef and Co-owner of Brasserie Prins, Dave Harrison for a conversation on creating an atmosphere that reflects the people behind the restaurant: An exciting place where the experience is as much about art and music as it is about food.
Dave Harrison
Head chef, co-owner of Brasserie Prins
Eighteen hours before we opened the restaurant, it looked like chaos. All the furniture arrived at the last minute before opening and when we got it all together, we were quite surprised at how it looked. We had decided on everything in the interior ourselves. It was important to me that the restaurant didn't look like anything you find elsewhere in Copenhagen, where many restaurants look alike with smart design chosen by an interior designer. We wanted to avoid that.
We wanted to create the same atmosphere as in small neo-bistros in Paris, where the style is simple and casual, and the lighting is subdued. But it also shouldn't be Francophile and a romantic notion of what a real French restaurant looks like. We wanted to make a place that reflects who we are as people and what our tastes and interests are like. It had to be real.
The decor had to be contrasting. We chose French vintage furniture and modern lamps. It doesn't just have to be white cloth it also has to be cave-like and a bit stimulating with loud music. An exciting place where the experience is as much about art and music as it is about food. Of course, food is still central. It may well be that there is a lot going on in the restaurant, the music is loud, there is art everywhere and the wall is bright red, but there must still be a clear focus on the food on the plate and the wine in the glass, which is why we chose Kasper Thorup's lamps that almost frame the food and wine on the table with a spotlight.
“Choosing lamps for the restaurant, we wanted to find as much as possible for the decor in the neighbourhood and Thorup is just around the corner. My partner also owns Rouge Oysters down the street, and we all live in the area, so it was important for us to create a local bistro.”
Brasserie Prins
Just like the decor, the food we make is also a reflection of who we are. This is exactly the food we want to make. We do no compromises. In the last ten years, I have made very creative food, where everything must be new, be fermented and have a lot going on. Is it even possible to make a brand-new dish in 2022? I was tired of that type of food, and I've always been obsessed with old French food, but I've never had the opportunity to cook it, even though I've worked for five years in Paris.
Everyone in our kitchen is happy to cook real food again. Everything is made from scratch and it's not just fermentation and decoration. It's fun to get half a pig or twenty hares with fur, and then go through the whole process. We go exploring in the history books - all the dishes are out there; they are just forgotten or can only be found far out in the countryside of France. We reinvent the dishes and make them a little more refined than in French country cuisine. When we don't quite know how to make a certain dish initially, it's so satisfying when we nail it in the end.
Shop Products
