Paul Cunningham is an English-born chef who has spent his career in Denmark and become one of the most respected figures in Danish gastronomy. Best known today as the chef of the two-Michelin-star Henne Kirkeby Kro on the west coast of Jutland – and earlier of the celebrated restaurant The Paul at Tivoli in Copenhagen – he combines classical rigour with a free, “intuitive” style he likes to compare to jazz.
Though he grew up in rural England, Cunningham has become a fixture of the Danish dining scene for three decades, mentoring a generation of chefs and helping shape the country’s rise as a culinary destination. His cooking is generous, produce-driven and full of personality.
TL;DR
- English-born chef, born in 1969, who has worked in Denmark since 1994
- Won a Michelin star at The Paul in Copenhagen (2003-2011)
- Chef of Henne Kirkeby Kro in west Jutland since 2012
- Henne Kirkeby Kro has held two Michelin stars since 2017
- Known for “intuitive”, garden-driven cooking and for mentoring top Danish chefs
Paul Cunningham key facts
| Born | 1969, Essex, England |
| Nationality | English (based in Denmark) |
| Restaurants | The Paul; Henne Kirkeby Kro |
| Michelin | Star at The Paul; two stars at Henne Kirkeby Kro |
| Style | Intuitive, garden- and produce-driven |
From rural England to Denmark
Paul Cunningham was born in 1969 and grew up in rural Essex, in eastern England. He began cooking in a country pub in the village of Widdington before working in a series of restaurants and country-house hotels, including Danesfield House and Lords of the Manor. In 1994 he made the move that would define his life and career, relocating to Denmark – a country whose dining scene was, at the time, far less celebrated than it would later become, and where he would go on to play a significant role in that transformation.
Rising through Danish kitchens
In Denmark Cunningham started as a fish cook and rose to head chef at Sollerod Kro, which during his time there earned one of the first Michelin stars awarded in the country. He then led the kitchen at Formel B – where, notably, he trained the young Mads Refslund, a future co-founder of Noma – and cooked at Coquus and Plaza before taking on the restaurant that would make his name.
The Paul and Henne Kirkeby Kro
Cunningham became co-owner and chef of The Paul, located in the glass pavilion (Glassalen) at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, where he held a Michelin star from 2003 to 2011. In 2012 he took over as chef at Henne Kirkeby Kro, an eighteenth-century inn on the remote west coast of Jutland, succeeding chef Allan Poulsen. There he reinvented the restaurant around the inn’s vast kitchen garden – among the largest in Denmark – and its access to the North Sea coast. Henne Kirkeby Kro earned its first Michelin star in 2016 and a second in 2017, which it went on to hold for years, making it one of the finest destinations in the country.
An intuitive, garden-led philosophy
At Henne Kirkeby Kro, Cunningham has described his approach as “intuitive” and jazz-inspired – responsive to what the garden and the coast provide on any given day, rather than fixed to a rigid menu. This deep reliance on his own kitchen garden and local produce gives his cooking a strong sense of place and season, and reflects a philosophy he has developed over decades in Danish kitchens: let great ingredients lead, and cook with feeling as much as with technique.
Signature style
Cunningham’s food marries classical craft with warmth and spontaneity. He is a meticulous technician – shaped by classic hotel and restaurant training – but he cooks with an improviser’s freedom, drawing on the garden, the sea and his own instincts. He is also known for a playful streak, having won the Danish hot-dog championship three times, and has shared his approach through a series of cookbooks.
Paul Cunningham in context
Cunningham is one of the influential figures of modern Danish dining, having mentored chefs such as Mads Refslund and succeeded Allan Poulsen at Henne Kirkeby Kro.
Follow Paul Cunningham
Paul Cunningham – official site
Paul Cunningham FAQ
Who is Paul Cunningham?
An English-born chef working in Denmark, best known for The Paul in Copenhagen and Henne Kirkeby Kro.
Where is he from?
He was born in 1969 and grew up in rural Essex, England, before moving to Denmark in 1994.
What Michelin recognition does he have?
A star at The Paul and two stars at Henne Kirkeby Kro.
What is his style?
Intuitive, garden- and produce-led cooking built on the restaurant’s large kitchen garden.
Who did he train?
Among others, Mads Refslund, a future co-founder of Noma, at Formel B.
