Christian F. Puglisi is a Sicilian-Danish chef best known for Relæ, the Michelin-starred Copenhagen restaurant that became the first Michelin-starred restaurant in the world to hold a gold organic certification. Born in Messina in 1982 and raised in Denmark from the age of eight, Puglisi trained at El Bulli and served as sous chef at Noma before opening Relæ on Jægersborggade in 2010.
Relæ closed in 2020 after a decade of service. Puglisi now runs Bæst (an organic Italian restaurant and pizzeria) and Mirabelle in Copenhagen, alongside Farm of Ideas, a small organic farm near the city that supplies raw milk for Bæst’s in-house mozzarella production.
TL;DR
- Sicilian-born Danish chef, born 1982 in Messina, Italy; moved to Denmark in 1990
- Former sous chef at Noma under René Redzepi (2007-2009)
- Opened Relæ in 2010; Michelin star from 2012 until the restaurant closed in 2020
- Runs Bæst (organic pizzeria), Mirabelle (bakery-eatery), and Farm of Ideas (organic farm)
- Author of Relæ: A Book of Ideas (2014); 2015 James Beard nominee for cookbook
Christian F. Puglisi key facts
| Born | 1982, Messina, Sicily, Italy |
| Full name | Christian Francesco Puglisi |
| Nationality | Italian-Danish (moved to Denmark at age 8) |
| Main restaurants | Bæst, Mirabelle (Copenhagen); Relæ (2010-2020); Manfreds (2010-2020) |
| Michelin stars | One at Relæ from 2012 to 2020 |
| Style | Organic, plant-forward, “to the bone” cooking; Italian crafts at Bæst |
| Other ventures | Farm of Ideas (2016), Relæ: A Book of Ideas (2014) |
Early life and training of Christian F. Puglisi
Puglisi was born Christian Francesco Puglisi in Messina, Sicily, in 1982. His family moved to Denmark in 1990 when he was eight, and he grew up in Copenhagen. He attended the Danish Hospitality College and graduated with honours in 2004.
The formative stages came in rapid succession: a stint at Le Taillevent in Paris in 2005, then time at Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli in Catalonia in 2006. Both kitchens were benchmarks of European fine dining at the time, and the El Bulli period in particular gave him technical vocabulary he would later use in his own very different kitchen.
In 2007 he joined Noma as sous chef under René Redzepi, staying for two and a half years during the period that Noma was rising through the World’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings. By 2009 he had decided to open his own restaurant, but built around a deliberately different model: no white tablecloths, no elaborate service, lower prices, and a focus on organic plant-centric cooking rather than Nordic foraging theatre.
Christian F. Puglisi career timeline
- 1982: Born in Messina, Sicily
- 1990: Moves to Denmark with his family at age 8
- 2004: Graduates with honours from the Danish Hospitality College
- 2005: Stage at Le Taillevent, Paris
- 2006: Stage at El Bulli, Catalonia, under Ferran Adrià
- 2007-2009: Sous chef at Noma under René Redzepi
- 2010: Opens Relæ and Manfreds on Jægersborggade in Nørrebro, Copenhagen
- 2011: Relæ awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide
- 2012: Relæ earns its Michelin star
- 2013: Relæ receives the highest Danish organic certification (gold), the first Michelin-starred restaurant in the world with such certification
- 2014: Opens Bæst and Mirabelle in Nørrebro; publishes Relæ: A Book of Ideas (Ten Speed Press)
- 2015: Relæ enters The World’s 50 Best Restaurants at No. 45; Bæst named Bistro of the Year by Danish Food Critics
- 2016: Founds Farm of Ideas, a small organic farm outside Copenhagen
- 2020: Closes Relæ and Manfreds after a decade of operation
- Present: Continues to run Bæst, Mirabelle, and Farm of Ideas
Christian F. Puglisi signature style
Puglisi described his approach as “to the bone” cooking: remove everything that does not serve the food itself. At Relæ, that meant a simple dining room without linen tablecloths, with the cutlery stored in a drawer built into the guest’s table, and with the staff doing both the cooking and the service. The food was plant-forward, seasonal, organic, and presented with minimal decoration. The idea was to deliver Michelin-level cooking at a lower price point and without the formality of conventional three-star service.
Despite his Noma background, Puglisi has been explicit that he never considered himself part of the New Nordic movement. His approach was closer to a direct Mediterranean-to-Copenhagen line: Italian craft (cheese-making, charcuterie, pizza) applied to Danish organic produce. At Bæst, opened in 2014, he set up an in-house mozzarella production using biodynamic local Danish milk, became the first Copenhagen chef to make fresh cheese on site, and built a pizza programme around sourdough-fermented doughs and wood-fired Roman and Neapolitan styles.
The organic certification is the structural thread that runs through all the restaurants. Relæ earned the gold Danish certification in 2013 (the highest tier, requiring over 90% organic ingredients), and Manfreds, Bæst and Mirabelle have all followed. Puglisi has argued that organic should be the default in Copenhagen fine dining rather than a premium niche.
Notable dishes and projects
At Relæ, the beef tartare was the dish most associated with the restaurant, served across the street at Manfreds and treated by critics as one of the best tartares in Copenhagen. The vegetable-forward tasting menu (often seven or more plates focused on seasonal Danish produce) was what drove the Michelin star. At Bæst, the house-cured salamis, the in-house mozzarella, and the sourdough pizza are the signature elements, with the Roman-style pizza a taglia treated as a deliberate parallel to Danish smørrebrød. Farm of Ideas, founded in 2016, operates as the supply backbone: vegetables, herbs, and a small herd of Jersey cows providing raw milk for the Bæst dairy.
Christian F. Puglisi awards and recognition
- 2011: Bib Gourmand at Relæ
- 2012: Michelin star at Relæ (retained until closure in 2020)
- 2013: Gold organic certification at Relæ (first Michelin-starred restaurant in the world)
- 2014: Publishes Relæ: A Book of Ideas with Ten Speed Press
- 2015: Bistro of the Year (Bæst) by Danish Food Critics; Relæ at No. 45 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
- Speaker at the MAD symposium alongside senior international chefs
Christian F. Puglisi impact on Copenhagen dining
Puglisi’s main contribution to the Copenhagen scene is the demonstration that a Michelin-star restaurant can operate on organic principles without raising its price point into three-star territory. Relæ opened in 2010 on Jægersborggade, then one of Copenhagen’s most crime-ridden streets, and became a central driver of the district’s transformation into one of the city’s most recognised food addresses. By the time Relæ closed in 2020, Jægersborggade had become a template for food-led neighbourhood regeneration in other European cities.
His kitchen has also produced a meaningful line of alumni. Jonathan Tam, who was head chef at Relæ at the time of its closure, went on to open JATAK in Copenhagen’s Nørrebro district, earning a Michelin star within eight months. Several other Puglisi-trained cooks now run their own restaurants across the Nordic region. The Puglisi operation sits alongside Noma as one of the two most important training platforms in contemporary Danish fine dining.
Puglisi’s model contrasts instructively with the three-star fine-dining approaches of chefs like Rasmus Munk at Alchemist or Alain Passard at L’Arpège. Where those kitchens build elaborate experiences at top-tier prices, Relæ stripped out cost and formality to deliver serious cooking at a lower barrier to entry. The closure of Relæ in 2020 was itself an honest acknowledgement that even a well-run, efficient Michelin restaurant can become unsustainable; Puglisi’s decision to continue only with Bæst, Mirabelle and Farm of Ideas reflects the same economic logic that René Redzepi cited when Noma announced its 2024 transition out of traditional service.
Christian F. Puglisi FAQ
Is Relæ still open?
No. Relæ closed in 2020 after a decade of operation, together with its sister restaurant Manfreds across the street. Puglisi continues to run Bæst and Mirabelle in Copenhagen, plus Farm of Ideas.
What Michelin stars does Christian F. Puglisi have?
None currently active. Relæ held one Michelin star from 2012 until it closed in 2020. Bæst and Mirabelle operate in the bistro and pizzeria category rather than fine dining.
Where is Christian F. Puglisi from?
Born in Messina, Sicily in 1982. His family moved to Denmark in 1990 when he was eight, and he has been based in Copenhagen since. His Italian-Danish heritage is reflected in the Sicilian-inflected Italian cooking at Bæst.
What is Farm of Ideas?
A small organic farm Puglisi founded in 2016 around 40 minutes outside Copenhagen. It grows vegetables and herbs for Bæst and Mirabelle, and maintains a small herd of Jersey cows providing raw milk for the in-house mozzarella production at Bæst.
Did Christian F. Puglisi work at Noma?
Yes, as sous chef under René Redzepi from 2007 to 2009. He left Noma to open Relæ in 2010.
What is next for Christian F. Puglisi
Puglisi has said that the post-Relæ phase is about going deeper into raw materials rather than opening more restaurants. Farm of Ideas continues to expand, and the cheese and charcuterie production at Bæst remains a core R&D area. His public Instagram (@christianpuglisi) is the best source for current updates on the restaurants and the farm.
