A Culinary Journey at KOAN: Where Korean Heritage Meets Danish Innovation
KOAN
Nestled along Copenhagen’s tranquil canals, behind a discreet façade of landscaped trees and a paved boardwalk, lies KOAN, a Michelin-starred sanctuary where Chef Kristian Baumann masterfully blends his Korean roots with Danish culinary traditions. The restaurant’s name, Koan, a named derived from the Zen Buddhist term kōan, reflects its philosophy: a meditative exploration of identity, memory, and flavor.
Having earned two Michelin stars and numerous accolades, including a spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 Hot List, KOAN is more than a dining experience; it’s a deeply personal narrative told through 17 meticulously crafted courses.
"KOAN is more than dining—it’s a journey through time, culture, and flavor. Each dish is a chapter, each bite a memory. In February 2024, the menu was a love letter to the past, a celebration of the present, and a glimpse into the future of gastronomy," says Chef Baumann.
KOAN’s February 2024 menu is an artful, 17-step journey blending Nordic ingredients with Korean tradition. It begins with seasonal bites like Norwegian shrimp wrapped in rose petals and calamansi citrus filled with cured egg yolk, followed by lobster noodles made from lobster heads and a white kimchi served on a Ming/Qing dynasty-inspired plate by artist Taxoo Lee.
Highlights include caviar and tofu with aged Oscietra Blond, oyster and king crab in champagne-gamtae seaweed sauce, and a savory kkwabaegi donut evoking Seoul street food. The Danish ribeye with kimchi and gamasot rice (toasted with truffle, anchovies, and langoustine) showcase bold contrasts.
Desserts dazzle with combawa sorbet and oolong tea soufflé paired with seaweed ice cream and caviar. The meal closes with petit fours in handmade wooden boxes—frozen yuzu, potato-hazelnut tartlette, and sesame cookies. Baumann notes in a statement on the menu, "[Its] a symphony of heritage and innovation, where every dish tells a story."
Mandoo
A salad of the claws from the Norwegian langoustine with aromatic herbs and sauce made from makgeolli nd sesame.
The KOAN Experience: 17 Steps of Discovery
Gamasot rice is topped with kombu-cured squid, trout roe, roasted gim, preserved citrus, raw shrimp, makgeolli marinated langoustine claws, beech nuts and aromatic herbs.
Gamasot rice with preserved mikan citrus, caramelized sudachi, beech nuts, trout roe, gochugaru and fjord shrimp.
A lobster tail crowned with celeriac and kombu and cured zander with shiso and sancho pepper tease the palate.
The journey begins with delicate Norwegian shrimp wrapped in pickled rose petals, followed by a burst of calamansi citrus filled with cured egg yolk and trout roe. A lobster tail crowned with celeriac and kombu and cured zander with shiso and sancho pepper tease the palate, while buntan (pomelo) kimchi introduces the first bold Korean inflection.
A Mandoo of pepper pork dumpling arrives, bathed in a rich sauce of mussels, caramelized onions, and gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)—a harmonious collision of Danish technique and Korean soul.
Translucent noodles made from lobster heads swim in a broth of lobster claw and sudachi citrus, a dish that balances refinement with umami depth.
A kohlrabi-based white kimchi, fragrant with elderflower oil, is served in a Ming Dynasty-inspired porcelain bowl by Korean artist Taxoo Lee. The dish is a metaphor for Kristian’s own rebirth—fragments of the past reimagined.
Slow-cooked carrots with salted apples, aromatic berries, pickled wild garlic served with a sauce made from Korean red chillies, caramelized onions and fermented cabbage. ⠀
These two dishes on the vegetarian tasting menu features slow-cooked carrots paired with salted apples, aromatic berries, and pickled wild garlic, served with a spicy-sweet sauce made from Korean red chilies, caramelized onions, and fermented cabbage.
Silken tofu paired with a jam made from preserved yuzu, mustard seeds, poached celeriac, and pine nuts.⠀
Silken tofu infused with pine nuts meets langoustine, dried strawberries, and Oscietra caviar, aged for 45-60 days to enhance its clean, briny elegance.
A plump oyster and tender king crab luxuriate in a champagne-kissed broth with bakskuld (dried fish) and gamtae seaweed, which imparts subtle truffle-like notes.
A playful take on Korea’s twisted donut, this version is savory, dusted with pine salt, and served with whipped double cream—a nod to Kristian’s Seoul strolls with his wife.
Caramelised rice with perilla seeds, roasted chicken skin, pickled and raw ceps, and the first white truffles of the season.⠀
A pork blood sausage—Kristian’s favorite dish to make—is crowned with dried black currants, bridging rustic tradition and haute cuisine.
Danish ribeye meets kimchi-marinated greens, chili crunch, and a beef-and-cherry sauce—an audacious yet balanced fusion.
Gamasot rice is topped with kombu-cured squid, trout roe, roasted gim, preserved citrus, raw shrimp, makgeolli marinated langoustine claws, beech nuts and aromatic herbs.
Three short-grain rices (selected for texture, aroma, and flavor) are toasted in a traditional Korean iron pot (gamasot), then adorned with beechnuts, citrus, anchovies, shiitake, and truffle.
A Norwegian langoustine tail, paired with caramelized apples and cured pork fat, adds luxurious contrast.
Chrysanthemum cut diver scallop gently sauteed in brown butter and glazed in a sauce made from caramelised onions, mussels, Korean chillies and omija berries. Served with blackened ginger, roasted seaweed and crispy sweet potatoes.⠀
The crisped rice from the gamasot’s bottom transforms into a porridge with nori and lobster sauce, topped with a hand-dived scallop—a dish of profound comfort and complexity.
The first dessert, a combawa sorbet with ginger caramel and elderflower oil, is a fragrant palate-cleanser.
A milky oolong soufflé shares the plate with KOAN’s signature roasted seaweed ice cream, crowned with hazelnut oil and platinum caviar—a surreal yet sublime finale.
The meal concludes with frozen yuzu, golden potato tartlets, chapssal-tteok (rice cake with mikan marmalade), and sesame dasik (Korean pressed cookies), each bite a miniature epiphany.
Beyond the Plate: A Chef’s Journey
Kristian Baumann’s story—adopted from Korea, raised in Denmark, forged in Michelin kitchens—resonates in every dish. KOAN isn’t just about kimchi meeting rhubarb; it’s about a chef finally cooking his own food, unshackled from others’ expectations.
As the Nordic dining scene evolves, KOAN stands as a beacon of cultural duality, proving that the most compelling flavors emerge from embracing who you are.
With a perfect ★★★★★ rating, KOAN offers an unforgettable odyssey of identity, technique, and taste that transcends ordinary dining. This extraordinary experience is best suited for adventurous gourmands, Michelin-star hunters, and anyone craving a meal that tells a profound story through each carefully crafted dish. Among the must-try creations are the exquisite Caviar and Tofu—a masterpiece of layered brilliance—and the audaciously inventive Oolong Tea Soufflé, which perfectly encapsulates Chef Kristian Baumann's boundary-pushing vision. Ready to embark on this culinary journey? Visit KOAN at Strandgade 93, 1401 Copenhagen, explore their website, or follow @koancph for more glimpses into this remarkable dining experience.
For the discerning culinary traveler, a pilgrimage to KOAN in Copenhagen is an essential destination. This Michelin two-starred sanctuary, nestled discreetly along the city's canals, offers far more than a meal; it is a profound, meditative journey into the soul of Chef Kristian Baumann. Here, the highest levels of Danish culinary technique engage in a breathtaking dialogue with Korean tradition and personal memory across a meticulously crafted tasting menu.
Each of the seventeen courses—from a playful savory donut evoking Seoul street food to a sublime finale of seaweed ice cream crowned with caviar—serves as a chapter in a deeply personal narrative. It is a symphony of heritage and innovation, where every bite tells a story, making KOAN not just a restaurant, but the ultimate vacation destination for any great aficionado of world-class gastronomy.
