In the Michelin Guide 2022, Maaemo maintains its place as one of only four three-star restaurants in the Nordic countries, along with Frantzén in Sweden and Noma and Geranium in Denmark.
According to the guide, Maaemo is "an exceptional dining experience in a dramatic, high-ceilinged dining room, where the open kitchen is theatrically lit and time seems to stand still. The surprise menu features expertly crafted and memorable dishes with sublime tastes and textures ..." Maaemo has also been awarded a Michelin Green Star for its sustainability efforts.
Two-star RE-NAA is still "worth a detour"
“There are only 500 restaurants with two Michelin stars in the world, so this is definitely the highlight of my career so far,” chef Sven Erik Renaa told Norwegian broadcaster NRK in 2021. Norway's only two-star restaurant is located in Stavanger on the west coast.
Four new stars to Norwegian restaurants
The three Oslo restaurants Hot Shop, Hyde and Schlägergården are all new additions to the Nordic edition of the Michelin guide, with one star each. Restaurant Lysverket in Bergen also received its first star this year.
The exclusive 2022 list also includes one-star restaurants Kontrast, Statholdergaarden, Under, Sabi Omakase, Bare, FAGN, Credo and Speilsalen.
Jimmy Øien at Rest in Oslo, was awarded the Young Chef of the Year. The 29-year-old received the award not only for his culinary abilities, but also for his ambitious concept. Rest prepares first-class food from ingredients that would otherwise have been thrown away. Its strong focus on sustainability has earned the restaurant a Green star.
Heidi Bjerkan and her team at Credo in Trondheim, received the Welcome and service award. The restaurant already has one Michelin star, as well as a Green Star. Jossa in Trondheim, Einer in Oslo, FYR Bistronomi & Bar in Oslo, and Stallen in Oslo also received the Michelin Green Star.
Restaurants that are well worth the trip
In the culinary world, no distinction is more esteemed than being included in the Michelin Guide, which was first published in 1900.
The publication was the brainchild of tyre manufacturing brothers André and Édouard Michelin and started out as a practical guide for motorists in France. The guide was geographically expanded and thematically narrowed in the 1930s to include an annual awarding of stars to Europe’s greatest restaurants.
A three-star rating in le Guide Michelin means that a restaurant is “worth a special journey”, two stars means it's “worth a detour”, and one star indicates “a very good restaurant in its category.”
Home of Bocuse d'Or champions
Norwegian chefs have gained an excellent reputation abroad, with several wins and podium finishes at the world’s most prestigious culinary competition, the Bocuse d’Or awards. Since the competition was first held in 1987, Norway has won five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, making Norway, together with France, the country with the most Bocuse d’Or awards.
