With his holistic approach to dining and his refreshing views on modern gastronomy, Rasmus Munk is not an enfant terrible, but a true pioneer in his field.
We have accompanied Rasmus through the rather exciting design and construction phase of his new restaurant Alchemist. In doing so, we have witnessed how much effort it was put into every little detail to be compliant with Rasmus’s own extremely high standards, especially when it comes to generating mind-blowing experiences for his guests, while never losing focus on creating and maintaining a comfortable work environment for his team and himself.

When we asked Rasmus, what vision he had for his kitchen, he replied: “I wanted to have a kitchen that runs by the rule of love, instead of the rule of fear, which sadly is still a part of most kitchen environments today. “
To provide some inspiration and to have a better understanding of Rasmus’s Kitchen environment, we asked him to outline the most important elements of his kitchen environment.

Building a Place for Growth

Room for Growth – This is the main principle for Rasmus’ Kitchen design. For him, that means having enough space for each of his forty chefs operating in Alchemist’s four kitchens. Usually, allowing the chefs some extra space is not a priority for kitchen planners. With his spacious kitchen layout, every chef has enough space to work, develop, and grow.

Ergonomics

With long hours of standing and potential damage to back and posture, the working life of a chef can be quite exhausting. As back and posture problems are common health issues among kitchen workers, Rasmus wanted to implement healthy work solutions from the beginning. He decided to set up height-adjustable refrigerated counters and working tables for improved posture while working.

Daylight

A great deal of a person’s wellbeing depends on the exposure to daylight. However, chefs often have a different day/night rhythm. Plus, the quality of the kitchen’s lighting is often neglected. The lighting inside has to be bright enough, to see clearly, and to avoid eye exhaustion. This is determined by the amount of Lumen. Besides that, it is important to choose a suitable light temperature is just as important. In Rasmus’ kitchen, the lighting systems imitate daylight.

Short Ways

Having analyzed all the necessary walking routes of his 4 kitchens, he had all devices placed in a way that his staff has very short and efficient ways. For example, every single of the 40 working stations is equipped with a dedicated refrigeration unit. This helps to keep up the highest standards of food safety, reduces walking routes for his staff, and is a true time-saver.