In 2018, when chef Filip Gemzell and sommelier Ann-Catrine Johansson arrived at Ästad Vingård, ÄNG didn't yet exist. The couple was invited to consider running what would become the new fine-dining experience in a hospitality project that already included a spa and guest rooms.
'My first impression was breathtaking. You are driving through all these forests, and you see some farms on the way, but then you realise that you are in the middle of nowhere,' remembers Filip Gemzell. 'The landscape really captivated me, and it was a very simple decision to stay.' ÄNG opened its doors in 2019, originally housed in what is now the reception building.
When ÄNG started in 2019, the concept was clear: 'to use local produce, do the best we could with it, and provide fantastic service and food,' recalls Filip. Early on, it became clear that they wanted to do more with the environment around them; they wanted to create an enduring experience. In 2021, the restaurant received its first Michelin star; in 2022, after a few months closed, the next stage was unveiled, with ÄNG settling in its new building – the glass house designed by Norm Architects from Copenhagen and furnished by Keiji Ashizawa for Karimoku Case from Japan – and presenting a renewed menu. In addition, Filip and Ann-Catrine became partners of the restaurant.
'I'd explain ÄNG more as a journey than as a dinner,' reveals its chef and now co-owner. The menu is built on seventeen to nineteen courses, depending on the day. The concept is for guests to move through different areas of the restaurant to experience varied impressions, emotions and types of food.
We begin this journey inside the transparency of the glass house. The atmosphere is vibrant and rhythmic, filled with conversation and anticipation from the guests, and with the swift movements of several chefs preparing snacks and canapés, like the nettle and green chilli bite, made from the herbs picked in the morning. After a glass of champagne, we take the elevator down to an underground level that leads to an unexpected wine cellar. Here, the setting is darker, almost mysterious, and the courses more substantial, including a chestnut tart with pickled chanterelles, portobello cream and Swedish Gotland truffles, and langoustine with caramelised cream, juniper, dill oil and yarrow.
The multisensory journey then takes us to the main dining room: a bright, open space with a grand window facing the lake, reminding us that we are inextricably linked to this particular piece of nature. The open kitchen and the bar reveal the pace and movement of the gastronomic choreography, while the calmer music lets us focus on the flavours of dishes like scallops dressed with fermented tomato sauce, or fish with white asparagus. These are strong, acid flavours that don't hide their sources. The ingredients are the protagonists.
As we move to the next stage, the wine cellar lounge, the lights dim and classical music sets a calm tone for the cheese service. Upon returning to the surface via the elevator, we emerge into the light, ready for dessert, with a new perspective. Every journey leaves its mark on us.
'The whole idea with ÄNG is to create more than just a dinner,' asserts Filip, seated under the half-light of the wine cellar. 'We want our guests to leave feeling that they've experienced something unique. Something they can carry with them for a long time.'
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