Søren Gericke

Soren Gericke is one of the founding fathers of modern Danish gastronomy – a pioneering chef, restaurateur and author who, together with Erwin Lauterbach, introduced nouvelle cuisine to Denmark in the 1970s and helped drag the country’s cooking into the modern age. Decades before Copenhagen became a global food capital, Gericke was one of the chefs laying the groundwork, insisting on quality, care and ambition at a time when Danish fine dining barely existed.

Outspoken, principled and hugely influential, Gericke has spent a lifetime championing the idea that cooking is worth doing properly. His manifesto-like philosophy of “making an effort” has shaped generations of Danish chefs, and his standing is such that a major national food award now bears his name.

TL;DR

• Danish chef, born 1 April 1947 in Copenhagen
• Apprenticed as a chef in 1963 and worked in Copenhagen and Paris
• With Erwin Lauterbach, introduced nouvelle cuisine to Denmark in the 1970s
• Named Chef of the Year by the Danish Gastronomic Academy in 1984
• A national food award, “Gericke of the Year”, is named after him

Soren Gericke key facts

A career across Copenhagen and Paris

Soren Gericke was born on 1 April 1947 in Copenhagen and began his chef’s apprenticeship in 1963. Over his career he held head-chef roles at some of the most important addresses of his era, including Sollerod Kro north of Copenhagen, the Restaurant Copenhague in Paris and the Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen, and he was co-owner of the restaurant Anatole in the Danish capital. His time in Paris, in particular, exposed him to the new ideas transforming French cooking – ideas he would bring home and champion.

Bringing nouvelle cuisine to Denmark

Gericke’s greatest historical importance lies in his role as a pioneer. Together with Erwin Lauterbach, he introduced la nouvelle cuisine to Danish diners in the 1970s, at a time when Denmark was, in gastronomic terms, an underdeveloped country. The two were frontrunners for a breakthrough in Danish cooking, arguing for lighter, fresher, more considered food and for treating the profession with real seriousness. Their work helped lay the foundations on which later generations – and ultimately the New Nordic movement – would build.

Recognition and legacy

Gericke’s contribution has been widely honoured. In 1984 he was named Chef of the Year by the Danish Gastronomic Academy, and in 2008 the food critics’ “dish of the year” award was renamed “Gericke of the Year” in his honour – a rare tribute to a living chef. In 2018 he was appointed a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. He also became a familiar public figure through television, and has written numerous cookbooks setting out his philosophy of food.

Signature style and philosophy

At the heart of Gericke’s work is a simple but demanding idea: that one should always make an effort – do things properly, use good ingredients and take care. His cooking, rooted in the nouvelle cuisine he helped import, prized freshness, lightness and quality over heaviness and convention. More than any single dish, it is this uncompromising standard, and his willingness to voice it, that defines his legacy.

Soren Gericke in context

Gericke is one of the founders of modern Danish cuisine, working alongside Erwin Lauterbach and helping create the conditions for the later movement led by chefs such as Claus Meyer.

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Soren Gericke FAQ

Who is Soren Gericke?
A pioneering Danish chef who helped introduce nouvelle cuisine to Denmark and modernise its cooking.

Why is he important?
With Erwin Lauterbach, he was a frontrunner for the breakthrough of Danish gastronomy in the 1970s.

What awards has he received?
Chef of the Year in 1984 and Knight of Dannebrog in 2018, and a food award is named after him.

Where did he work?
At Sollerod Kro, Restaurant Copenhague in Paris and the Plaza Hotel, among others.

Where is he from?
He was born in Copenhagen in 1947.