Anders Selmer is a well-known figure in Copenhagen’s food and wine world – a sommelier and restaurateur who helped shape the city’s dining scene during its rise to global fame. A former sommelier and restaurant manager at Noma, he went on to found the lively, much-loved seafood restaurant Kodbyens Fiskebar in the Meatpacking District, and has been involved in several other Copenhagen ventures.
Selmer’s background is unusual: rather than a chef, he is one of the hospitality and wine professionals whose work behind the scenes and in the dining room has been just as important as the cooking in making Copenhagen a great food city. His restaurants are known for atmosphere, excellent wine and a relaxed but serious approach to eating and drinking.
TL;DR
- Danish sommelier and restaurateur based in Copenhagen
- Former sommelier and restaurant manager at Noma
- Founder of Kodbyens Fiskebar in the Copenhagen Meatpacking District (2009)
- Involved in other Copenhagen ventures, including Delicatessen
- Known for his expertise in wine and hospitality
Anders Selmer key facts
| Nationality | Danish |
| Role | Sommelier and restaurateur |
| Known for | Kodbyens Fiskebar, Copenhagen |
| Former role | Sommelier and manager at Noma |
| Based in | Copenhagen, Denmark |
From Noma to his own restaurants
Anders Selmer built his reputation at the heart of Copenhagen’s dining revolution, working as a sommelier and restaurant manager at Noma during the years it became the most talked-about restaurant in the world. That experience – at the intersection of world-class food, wine and hospitality – gave him a deep understanding of what makes a great dining experience, and the confidence to create restaurants of his own.
Kodbyens Fiskebar
In 2009 Selmer opened Kodbyens Fiskebar, in cooperation with Bagge Algreen-Ussing, in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District (Kodbyen). A lively, informal seafood restaurant and bar, it became one of the defining places of the neighbourhood’s transformation into a dining destination, celebrated for its fresh Nordic seafood, its buzzing atmosphere and its thoughtful wine list. Alongside Fiskebar, Selmer has been involved in other Copenhagen ventures, including Delicatessen, extending his influence across the city’s food and drink culture.
The role of wine and hospitality
Selmer’s career is a reminder that great restaurants are built by more than chefs. As a sommelier, he brings a serious knowledge of wine to everything he does, and as a restaurateur he understands the importance of atmosphere, service and the whole experience of eating out. His work has helped shape the character of modern Copenhagen dining – relaxed and welcoming, but grounded in genuine expertise.
Signature style
Selmer’s restaurants are known for their combination of quality and ease: excellent Nordic seafood and produce, carefully chosen wines, and a warm, unpretentious atmosphere. Rather than formal fine dining, his approach favours places where people want to spend time – a philosophy that has made his ventures enduringly popular.
Anders Selmer in context
Selmer is one of the hospitality figures who helped build modern Copenhagen dining, shaped by his time at the Noma of Rene Redzepi and part of the same food culture as Claus Meyer.
Follow Anders Selmer
Kodbyens Fiskebar – official site
Anders Selmer FAQ
Who is Anders Selmer?
A Danish sommelier and restaurateur, best known for founding Kodbyens Fiskebar in Copenhagen.
What did he do at Noma?
He worked as a sommelier and restaurant manager during the restaurant’s rise to fame.
What is Kodbyens Fiskebar?
His lively seafood restaurant in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, opened in 2009.
Is he a chef?
He is primarily a sommelier and restaurateur rather than a chef.
Where does he work?
In Copenhagen, Denmark.
