It’s not unusual, most shopping malls boast a food court choc-a-bloc with fast food concepts. You have your hot dogs, the pizza, a bowl of noodles and a kebab. The difference at Teatern, the food court that opened in December of last year at Ringen’s shopping mall by Skanstull, is that the hodge podge of culinary concepts have been created by some of the sharpest chefs in town, proprietors of Michelin stars and makers on Nobel Prize dinners. One year after its inception, we check in the chefs in question to gauge the state of this Södermalm food destination, to talk about their concepts and the future of dinings. For the last instalment, we meet The Fishery, Snack Bar and K-märkt Patisserie & Bageri.
Malin Söderström (The Fishery)
What was it that attracted you to open up in a food court in a shopping mall? And would you have been interested if you didn’t know what other names were involved?
The context, serving food together with extremely competent and interesting colleagues
.
Do you think the idea of having a smaller lunch spot in a prime location, beside running another venture will be more common in the future?
Yes. I think we will see more of these kinds of lunch spots.
How did your concept come about, was it all ready and waiting for a location or is it tailor-made for Teatern?
I love working with fish and we saw that there was space for fish and seafood at Teatern.
In a way Teatern is just a food court, but at the same time it isn’t. In your opinion, what sets Teatern apart from other lunch destinations?
Partly really good and affordable food and partly the variety, which makes it possible for big groups of guests with different tastes and preferences to get together, eat and hang out under one roof.
How well does Stockholm’s food scene stack up internationally? And what, if anything, would you say is missing?
Stockholm’s food scene has something fantastic to offer in terms of food and can really compete with other big food cities.
What interesting food trends will we see in 2017?
Awareness. Not just ingredients but also the whole restaurant’s sustainability. This trend has been strong and will continue to grow. Also, I believe that we will see a number of new interesting influences from completely different parts of the world than before.
What was it that attracted you to open up in a food court in a shopping mall? And would you have been interested if you didn’t know what other names were involved?
I had never thought about opening in a shopping mall before, but when AMF Fastigheter invited us to get to know this new concept I was immediately interested in finding out more about it. Our first interest was the project itself, not the names that would be involved, so I can say that we would have been interested even if no other names were involved.
Do you think the idea of having a smaller lunch spot in a prime location, beside running another venture will be more common in the future?
I don’t think so, because to be able to serve affordable quality food takes a lot of dedication.
How did your concept come about, was it all ready and waiting for a location or is it tailor-made for Teatern?
We already have a place with this concept, but the Teatern was an opportunity to expand the experience of French Fast food.
In a way Teatern is just a food court, but at the same time it isn’t. In your opinion, what sets Teatern apart from other lunch destinations?
Because of the diversity of options and quality of food.
How well does Stockholm’s food scene stack up internationally? And what, if anything, would you say is missing?
Stockholm is a small city in a small country, so considering that we have come very far in food scene trends. Regarding what is missing… there is a lot more to be learned from other countries and other cultures. People should always eat what they like, not be told what to eat.
What interesting food trends will we see in 2017?
A good example of a trend, is what we are doing here at the Teatern, quality affordable food cooked by people who care!
Daniel Roos (K-märkt Patisserie & Bageri)
What was it that attracted you to open up in a food court in a shopping mall? And would you have been interested if you didn’t know what other names were involved?
The location, the concept and the chefs. The location was great. The concept, that you should be able to eat great food without going bankrupt was perfect and that there are so many other great chefs in the same place is very inspiring.
Do you think the idea of having a smaller lunch spot in a prime location, besides running another venture will be more common in the future?
Definitely. People have less time to spend during lunch and have a harder time staying for a long meal. A faster-paced lunch spot is perfect.
How did your concept come about, was it all ready and waiting for a location or is it tailor-made for Teatern?
We had a similar concept as a part of another restaurant in Stockholm. We wanted to see if it would work on its own and Teatern was a perfect place to test it out.
In a way Teatern is just a food court, but at the same time it isn’t. In your opinon, what sets Teatern apart from other lunch destinations?
It’s more fun! Teatern has a much better variety. No matter if you’re up for noodles, pizza or a sandwich you can get your fill here. For small crowds as well as large. You can find something for everyone.
How well does Stockholm’s food scene stack up internationally? And what, if anything, would you say is missing?
I think Stockholm is going strong. We have a lot of chefs and bakers with strong concepts and ideas in a small geographical area.
What interesting food trends will we see in 2017?
Speed will be of the essence. I think we will see more ”fast” concepts were you get your meal quickly and to go.
