Erwin Lauterbach is one of the great elder statesmen of Danish cooking – a chef whose career stretches back long before the celebrity-chef era, and who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the vegetable-forward, ingredient-led philosophy that would later define New Nordic cuisine. Through his legendary restaurant Saison and, more recently, the historic Lumskebugten in Copenhagen, he has shaped Danish gastronomy for half a century.
Quietly influential and deeply respected by his peers, Lauterbach championed local produce and gave vegetables a starring role decades before it became fashionable. He is, in many ways, one of the grandfathers of the movement that made Danish food famous.
TL;DR
- Danish chef, born 21 March 1949 in Haderslev
- Trained as a chef in 1971 and worked in Paris early in his career
- Founder of the legendary gourmet restaurant Saison
- One of the 12 chefs who signed the 2004 New Nordic Food Manifesto
- Owner and chef of the historic Copenhagen restaurant Lumskebugten since 2011
Erwin Lauterbach key facts
| Born | 21 March 1949, Haderslev, Denmark |
| Nationality | Danish |
| Restaurants | Saison; Lumskebugten |
| Honours | Chef of the Year for 25 Years; Chefs’ Chef |
| Legacy | Pioneer of vegetable-led Nordic cooking |
Early years and Paris
Erwin Lauterbach was born on 21 March 1949 in Haderslev, in southern Denmark, and trained as a chef in 1971. As a newly qualified young cook he went to Paris, working with the influential Danish chef Soren Gericke at Restaurant Copenhague – an early immersion in high-level cooking that helped set the course for his career. Returning to Denmark, he began to develop the personal, produce-focused style that would make him one of the country’s most admired chefs.
Saison and a new philosophy
Lauterbach founded Saison, which for many years was one of Denmark’s most celebrated gourmet restaurants. What set it apart was his approach to ingredients: at a time when Danish fine dining looked mainly to France for inspiration, Lauterbach insisted on the quality of local produce and gave vegetables a central, starring role on the plate. This was a quietly radical idea, and it would prove enormously influential – a direct forerunner of the thinking that later underpinned New Nordic cuisine.
A signer of the New Nordic Manifesto
Lauterbach’s standing was formally recognised in 2004, when he was one of twelve chefs to sign the New Nordic Food Manifesto – the document that helped launch the movement which transformed Scandinavian cooking. As one of the older and more established figures among the signatories, he lent the manifesto both credibility and a sense of continuity, connecting the new generation’s ideas to decades of his own practice. His honours – including being named “Chef of the Year for 25 Years” in 2001 and “Chefs’ Chef” in 2006 – reflect the exceptional respect he commands within the profession.
Lumskebugten
In 2011 Lauterbach acquired Lumskebugten, one of the oldest restaurants in Copenhagen, with a history dating back to 1854. He reopened it after a renovation in 2012, bringing his distinctive sensibility to a classic Danish establishment. There he has continued to cook well into his later years, a living link between the traditions of Danish dining and the modern movement he helped inspire.
Signature style
Lauterbach’s cooking is refined, seasonal and quietly confident, built on the conviction that superb ingredients – especially vegetables – deserve to be at the heart of great food. He favours clarity and respect for produce over showmanship, and his long career has been a steady argument for the value of Danish and Nordic ingredients, made decades before that argument became the mainstream.
Erwin Lauterbach in context
Lauterbach is one of the elder pioneers of the movement associated with the New Nordic Food Manifesto, which he signed alongside chefs such as Claus Meyer, and he began his career working with Soren Gericke.
Follow Erwin Lauterbach
Erwin Lauterbach FAQ
Who is Erwin Lauterbach?
A veteran Danish chef, founder of Saison and a pioneer of vegetable-led Nordic cooking.
What was Saison?
His legendary gourmet restaurant, celebrated for putting local produce and vegetables at its centre.
Did he sign the New Nordic Manifesto?
Yes – he was one of the twelve chefs to sign it in 2004.
What restaurant does he run now?
Lumskebugten, a historic Copenhagen restaurant he took over in 2011.
Where is he from?
He was born in Haderslev, in southern Denmark, in 1949.
