Taatsiannguaq Geisler works as a sous chef at the Alimentum restaurant in Aalborg. On Monday, they received their first Michelin star. The result of uncompromising work – where every day demands 110 percent.
Taatsiannguaq and the rest of the team were sitting in the restaurant, excitedly watching the awards ceremony on television. Chef Søren Birch and restaurant manager Jacob Urth had traveled to Zealand to participate in person. Alimentum was nominated, and the excitement grew when the category for “first Michelin star” was read out.
– We had a good feeling. We had tested the menu so many times that we felt confident. But you never know, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
Seconds felt like minutes. When Alimentum was named last in the category, it triggered an explosion of relief and joy.
– I’m the first to hear that we’ve got it. But no one else is reacting. So I’m starting to have doubts. But then they say Alimentum! And then everyone goes crazy. My whole body is shaking. It feels like 50 kilos are falling off my shoulders, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
An uncompromising and playful kitchen
Alimentum is a fine dining restaurant with seating for approximately 26 guests – all booked in advance. There are no walk-ins, and everything is planned down to the smallest detail. In Latin, Alimentum means food or nourishment.
– At Alimentum we have everything under control. We meet the guests at eye level and with attention, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
The menu reflects the seasonal cuisine, where the raw ingredients are in focus.
– We let the ingredients speak for themselves. No magic or tricks. They are vegetables from the farm, animals that have been shot a few days ago. The fish are caught at night and sold at auction in the morning, he says.
The team behind it consists of seven people: a chef, a sous chef, a head chef, two apprentice waiters, a trained waiter and a dishwasher. What they all have in common is a high level of commitment.
– We all give up something else by spending so much time here. But all of us who work at Alimentum feel the same way: we give 110 percent every day, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
From cooking student to winner
Taatsiannguaq Geisler is 25 years old and moved from Greenland to Aalborg when he was eight years old. He started his cooking career at Strandhotellet in Blokhus. He then had the opportunity to work at Alimentum. Here he completed his cooking training about two years ago.
– At Strandhotellet in Blokhus I learned to work quickly. At Alimentum it’s about doing it right every day. About not compromising. Trying to be a winner every day, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
Since he started at Alimentum, he has worked side by side with his mentor, chef Søren Birch. This has meant that Søren Birch’s approach to food, method and mentality have rubbed off on Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
– Before I started, I had to see who Søren Birch was. So I searched everything. By following him for more than four years, I reflect a lot of what he is like. And Søren is a winner. I want to be one too, he says.
The next tattoo
Alimentum’s Michelin star is a testament to countless hours spent in the kitchen, hard work and an uncompromising dedication to the craft. But it also testifies to a prioritization. Family, friends and birthdays are often neglected.
– I work all the days my friends and family have off. You make a personal sacrifice. But I just prefer to be in the kitchen. That’s where I’m happy. That’s where it all makes sense, says Taatsiannguaq Geisler.
The dedication is literally written in the skin. On his arm, the Alimentum logo and a green star already appear, recognizing the restaurant’s sustainable approach to gastronomy. Soon, a Michelin star will also be added.
– We’re going to have a tattoo artist come into the restaurant so that those who have been there – and want to – can get a tattoo, he says.
He doesn’t know yet what the next tattoo will be. First, he must enjoy the victory, refine the craft – and then the future will show what the next chapter will be.