Denmark House feels like a small pocket of Copenhagen tucked above Little Collins Street. Light pours through the large, black-framed windows, Danish drifts across the room, and Raj Shrestha looks completely at home. After spending almost 15 years in Denmark, he has found a place in Melbourne where that part of his life still feels close. Raj is deeply passionate about being a chef, but there is nothing showy about him. He speaks beautifully about learning, leadership and the responsibility of looking after people, whether they are working beside him or walking through the restaurant door. We talked about growing up in Nepal, discovering himself in Copenhagen and now his new life in Melbourne. I especially loved the way Raj spoke about energy, and the importance of noticing how people are feeling before the first ticket even comes in. Denmark House is currently serving Raj’s lunch menu from Monday to Saturday. Later, in September, an evening menu will launch, showcasing his passion for seasonal Danish cooking through dishes inspired by the modern Copenhagen bistro movement.
Conversation with a chef: Raj, it’s so nice to meet you and talk to you. I’ve come up to Denmark House and I’ve never been here before. It does feel like a little pocket of Denmark in the middle of Melbourne. How amazing.
Raj Shrestha: It is. It’s a small Denmark. For me, it carries a lot of values. As soon as I moved here, I was missing Denmark a lot. I lived around 14 or 15 years in Denmark. A big part of my life is in Denmark, so moving here was tough. Of course, it was challenging adapting to things, and then Denmark House just happened to me. I’m so grateful to be here, speaking with the Danes. They’re those people I know. I feel like I know them. It feels as though I never left Denmark.
It is a beautiful space as well. It’s so light. There are lots of beautiful windows, quite high ceilings with the wooden beams. It’s lovely. I heard them speaking Danish behind the counter too. I always love hearing other languages. It makes it feel so authentic.
That’s true. We’re trying to make a small home for all the Danes, and not just Danes but people from all the Scandinavian countries.
I didn’t really know that Denmark House or the Danish Club existed. I guess it is a place for people to come as a home away from home, but anyone can come here.
There has been a misunderstanding because it was named Denmark House and the Danish Club. People often think it’s just a club and only club members can come in, but that’s not true. Everyone can come and experience what we are doing here. I think people need to experience what we are doing which beautiful. Denmark is beautiful.
We were talking before we started recording about how much I love Copenhagen. It was such a lovely city to walk around. Because I’m a French teacher, I love that I can go to France and speak French. I feel embarrassed when I go to countries and can’t speak their language, but the Danes are amazing. Everyone was so nice and they spoke English. The food was delicious and everyone was so well dressed.
Yes, they are. As a foreigner, you notice these things. I was in France and you can feel that a lot of people speak French and don’t necessarily want to speak English. That was just my experience. In Denmark, I think 90 or 95 per cent of people can speak English, which makes things easier for foreigners like me.
Because you grew up in Nepal.
Yes. I did my high school in Nepal. My sister was always the key person motivating me. She said, “You need to leave Nepal and experience something outside Nepal.” And then Denmark just happened.
How did Denmark just happen? Why Denmark?
My sister knew someone who had been studying in Denmark. I had just finished high school, and she knew that if I stayed in Nepal, I might end up doing something else. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she kept motivating me. She said, “You should go out, live your life, try things and explore.” My father and mother used to cook. We owned a restaurant back home serving Newari cuisine. It involved nose-to-tail cooking, where all parts of the animal are used and cooked. I saw that from the time I was a child, but I never thought I would become a chef.I thought, “I’m going to Denmark and I’m going to finish my studies.” I went there and completed my bachelor’s degree in finance. Around that time, I was also working in kitchens. I worked in really good places with good chefs, and I began to understand hospitality. Something clicked. I felt so connected with the people and the teamwork. I could feel it when I was standing in the kitchen. I don’t know; it just happened to me. Then the rest is history. I was always learning, trying and working. That’s how it happened.
The Danes don’t overcomplicate food. With French food, the sauce speaks loudly. It has a really strong flavour. In Denmark, the produce and the seasonal ingredients speak more. For instance, you have a carrot. You fry the carrot in butter, add some herbs and a really light sauce. You let the carrot speak for itself. That’s how Nordic cuisine and Danish cuisine are. The point is taking a simple ingredient, such as a potato, and treating it as though it’s Wagyu. Of course, we know a good piece of meat tastes good. But who would have thought a good potato could also taste that good? The potato is the main dish there. You have potatoes, perhaps some lovage or chive cream on top, crispy potatoes and a little pickled element. That’s all you need, and it is so good.
Raj Shrestha, Denmark House
It sounds as though you felt at home in Denmark. Did you feel at home quite quickly, or did it take a while before it felt like home?
It took seven or eight years. I completed my bachelor’s degree and graduated. Afterwards, I was still trying to figure out whether I really wanted to do something in finance or whether I wanted to work in a kitchen. Then I had the privilege of working at 108, Noma’s baby sister restaurant. I did a stage there. Afterwards, there was the luxury Hotel Skt. Petri, and the opportunities kept coming. I went from a good restaurant to a good bakery and then back to restaurants. The hunger was still there. It was growing and growing. I thought, “I’m going to learn.”
At one point, I was just a chef. Then I tried to learn things beyond the kitchen and become a leader. Learning was always on a loop for me.
I had been working as a chef for quite a long time when I realised I didn’t know anything about baking. I was always interested in bakeries such as Coffee Collective and Andersen & Maillard, one of the good bakeries in Denmark. I wrote to them and said, “Can I come and work for you for free? I want to learn this.” I was already working as a sous chef, doing good services and earning good money, but I thought, “I need to learn this.” At the time, I felt I didn’t know anything about sourdough or fermentation. I went there and worked a full shift as a sous chef in one place while also working 20 or 30 hours for them. I was really hungry at that point in my life. I think that’s how it happened, and I’m happy I chose this profession. I’m thankful. When I talk about food, culture, hospitality and serving people, it becomes emotional for me. As soon as a guest enters the building or the restaurant, I feel that if we’re not giving our time to that one person, then we’re losing that person. That deeply affects me. It also makes me happy.
When you first arrived in Denmark, it would have been very different culturally. What surprised you most when you arrived?
When I moved there, it was to a small country place, Kolding. There wasn’t really a proper train station nearby, and everyone walked. When I was leaving Nepal, I was expecting tall buildings and something like Melbourne. When I arrived, I thought, “This is the country. This place looks like a village.” The cultural difference was huge. A lot of the people in that area were older and didn’t speak English at the time. It was tough to adapt and learn. But that also helped me because I got to know the real Danes from the beginning. In a small country place, I learned about the culture, the food and real Danish food. Later, I moved to a bigger city more like Melbourne. Copenhagen is like Melbourne in a way. There are lots of people from around the world, and it’s easier to communicate.
How would you describe real Danish food?
The Danes don’t overcomplicate food. With French food, the sauce speaks loudly. It has a really strong flavour. In Denmark, the produce and the seasonal ingredients speak more. For instance, you have a carrot. You fry the carrot in butter, add some herbs and a really light sauce. You let the carrot speak for itself. That’s how Nordic cuisine and Danish cuisine are. Of course, through the 1800s, 1900s and 2000s, everything was inspired by French cuisine. But after 2000, New Nordic cuisine was introduced, with foraging, fermentation, seasonal produce and simple flavours. You might have only two or three elements. That’s how I understand it now as a chef. When I was starting, I used to think cuisine meant one protein, one good steak, one rich sauce and some pickles. I thought that was cuisine, but apparently that’s not the point. The point is taking a simple ingredient, such as a potato, and treating it as though it’s Wagyu. Of course, we know a good piece of meat tastes good. But who would have thought a good potato could also taste that good? The potato is the main dish there. You have potatoes, perhaps some lovage or chive cream on top, crispy potatoes and a little pickled element. That’s all you need, and it is so good.
Denmark played a huge role in my life. Every time I learned new information about the food or culture, I would correct myself and ask people questions. Because I was an outsider, I was always unsure or doubtful. I thought, “Maybe I’m wrong about this.” I would ask a lot of people so they could correct me. When you come from outside, you want to get it right. In your own country, you might say something because you were born there, even though it might not be true. Coming from outside, I can’t just say it. I have to learn it.
Raj Shrestha, Denmark House
When you come in and learn that kind of food as an outsider, from somewhere else, do you think you pay more attention to the traditions and to learning the rules than other people might?
I think so. I can only speak for myself, because I was always curious about what I saw myself. Denmark played a huge role in my life. Every time I learned new information about the food or culture, I would correct myself and ask people questions. Because I was an outsider, I was always unsure or doubtful. I thought, “Maybe I’m wrong about this.” I would ask a lot of people so they could correct me. When you come from outside, you want to get it right. In your own country, you might say something because you were born there, even though it might not be true. Coming from outside, I can’t just say it. I have to learn it. Now that I’m in Melbourne, I need to be careful about what I want to sell at Denmark House. It’s very important for me to know the real thing.
Tell me, what is on the menu at Denmark House?
We’ve started with smørrebrød, which basically means butter and bread. The bread is rye bread, a dense rye bread with a lot of seeds and fibre. It’s really good bread. When I moved to Denmark, I didn’t like rye bread because it was a new taste for me. But after getting used to it, I now think rye bread is the best bread.
The Danes are quite particular about rye bread.
Exactly. They are very particular about the amount of fermentation and the amount of seeds. They are very picky about that.
Do you make your own rye bread?
Yes, we do. At lunch, everything is served as smørrebrød on rye bread. We have a couple of different kinds of herring. The herring is pickled in different flavours. We have dill-pickled herring, beetroot-pickled herring and curry herring. Herring is one of the stars of Danish food. People might start with one of the herrings. Then there could be roast beef with classic Danish remoulade and crispy onions. We also have tuna, which is a little interpretation combining Australian ingredients with Danish cuisine. We’re using saltbush and finger lime to make those sandwiches. There is a fish fillet that also comes with remoulade. There’s chicken salad with bacon. There are lots of toppings, but we change them according to the season. Right now it’s winter, so winter mushrooms are here. We make mushrooms à la crème, which is a little French. We use all the mushrooms we get in season and make creamy mushrooms with crème fraîche and thyme. On top, there are pickled mushrooms and Parmesan. You just can’t go wrong.
You sound so impassioned when you talk about it. It’s great. You obviously love it.
My brother-in-law and my sister knew I was going to do this podcast. They told meto calm down.
No! Just be you. Be passionate. I love it. Had you been to Melbourne before?
Yes, lots of times. But I moved here for good in December. I had been coming here since 2022 or 2023. My sister lives here. She’s been living here for around 15 or 20 years.
I love your sister. She seems like a real go-getter.
Yes, she’s my pillar. My father and mother have two children, her and me. She is one of the biggest inspirations in my life, and I’m so privileged to have her. I also moved here because of my fiancée. When I was here in 2023, I met her. Then we had a long-distance relationship. I was in Denmark, and we tried to keep the relationship going. We agreed that we would meet each other whenever we could. We did that. Then I took her to Denmark. She loved Denmark. She really loved it, but she’s a nurse here. It would have been hard for her to move there, learn the language and do everything else. I thought, “I’m going to come here and work as a chef.” It was easier for me to move than it was for her. That’s the reason I’m here.
Lucky Melbourne. We’re glad to have you.
Hopefully I can make some changes and give Australians or Melburnians something I learned from Denmark.
Being a leader means understanding people’s energy. If I’m working with 12 people, I need to feel their energy. We might have six different stations, and I’m allocating people to them. I need to understand them. Perhaps someone is having a bad day. During the morning briefing, I can feel that this person has been through something. The first thing is the energy. When we know that person is good, that’s fine. They can do it. If they’re not doing well, I need to work my way around that mentally and think about how I can help that person work and get through the service.
Raj Shrestha, Denmark House
You spoke before about the Newari cuisine your parents cooked in Nepal and how it is nose-to-tail. Are there any similarities? It sounds as though that cuisine also concentrates on using the whole animal and being seasonal as well.
I wouldn’t say there are a lot of similarities. But when we talk about nose-to-tail cooking, I think the pioneer of that cuisine is French cuisine. That’s how I see it. For me, everything began with French cuisine. Denmark was also influenced by France. For example, we make liver parfait. Liver is one of the parts people don’t want to use much in restaurants. We have a dish with liver parfait, beetroot and pickled jam on top. It’s really good and is an important dish in Denmark. Nose-to-tail means respecting your produce, using everything and not letting anything go to waste. I think that also gives New Nordic cuisine more meaning.
You worked your way up, worked at Noma’s little sister restaurant and did a stage there?
At that time, I already had eight or ten years of experience in kitchens. I used to think I was really good. I had worked in good places, we worked hard and I thought, “I can do it. I can work.” Maybe I was a little arrogant. I thought I was good. Going to 108 was a humbling experience for me. I thought I was good, but when I went there, I could see 20 or 30 people like me working there, and they were even better than me. Then I thought, “I’m nothing. I need to grow more. I need to learn more.” It was a really good experience. I thought I knew a lot, but as soon as I went there and saw how people worked, I realised I needed to learn many things from them. That experience changed my entire way of cooking and thinking about cooking. Afterwards, I thought, “I need to learn bakery.” That’s when everything started for me.
How long was the stage?
I think three months.
That’s a good amount of time. Then you went into baking?
Not immediately. I worked in a few places, and then went to Hotel Skt. Petri. Then there was a place called Co-ma, it was a French restaurant. I was there for a year. Around 2022, I started working in bakery. I did that for about a year. Then I had the opportunity to become head chef at Feed Bistro, one of the top-rated bistros in Copenhagen. I highly recommend it. If you go there, you will have a different experience. One of the staple dishes was Beef Wellington. I got to lead a team of 15 in the kitchen. In total, we had around 30 people running the service. On weekends, we did around 400 covers. It was a busy service, doing casual fine dining. It was a place with very high expectations. For my career, Feed Bistro brought together everything I had learned at Noma’s baby sister restaurant and the other places I’d worked. Feed Bistro made me a leader, not just a chef. It helped me progress as a leader.
What does being a leader in a kitchen mean to you?
Being a leader means understanding people’s energy. If I’m working with 12 people, I need to feel their energy. We might have six different stations, and I’m allocating people to them. I need to understand them. Perhaps someone is having a bad day. During the morning briefing, I can feel that this person has been through something. The first thing is the energy. When we know that person is good, that’s fine. They can do it. If they’re not doing well, I need to work my way around that mentally and think about how I can help that person work and get through the service. That part was more stressful, but I think I did well. We used to have four or five briefings, including two or three with the front-of-house team. The chefs also had briefings because it was a big kitchen team. You need those small moments of communication. It was a good experience.
How are you under pressure when there are lots of tickets coming in and everything has different timings? How do you respond to pressure?
When everybody knows what they need to do in each section, I can trust them. First, you feel the energy. You know they are ready, their stations are prepared, whatever needs to be cooked is ready and the mise en place is good. Then I know they’re ready for service. I know we can do 300 covers with that team and that amount of preparation. I know the flow will be busy, but I’ve got the team and we will get through it. Of course, it will be stressful, but that’s the fun. Having 20 tickets at a time is the fun. If you can’t enjoy that, you shouldn’t be in the kitchen. That’s how you manage yourself. The problems or the tickets keep coming. You need to solve them. If you can’t solve them, it becomes more stressful. I think I’m a good problem-solver. That’s also what we learned at university. If there is a problem and you can solve it, then you can move forward.
Does your finance background help with food costing and all that sort of thing?
Of course, a little bit.
That’s a good advantage. It feels as though it’s particularly challenging in Melbourne. There’s a lot of talk about how difficult it is for businesses to run here. Was it the same in Copenhagen?
I believe so, but I think Melbourne is more challenging because it has so much to offer. Melbourne is also a big city compared with Copenhagen. There are many different people here. It’s very diverse compared with Copenhagen and there is a strong Asian influence. That can also be intimidating. Asian food has many flavours. You can experience the flavours immediately. It’s different food. I think Melbourne is more challenging than Denmark. Denmark would be a little easier in terms of sustaining and surviving. Having said that, nobody is doing Danish cuisine in the way Denmark House is at the moment. There are a couple of places doing Scandinavian or Nordic food: Freya and Circl, but only a handful of places are doing this kind of food. Nobody is really doing smørrebrød. I think we can make a mark in Melbourne. At least we can let people try rye bread and experience the way Danes think about rye bread. I think it’s a good way to have lunch. My sister and brother-in-law had never tried rye bread. Even my nephew, who is three years old, had never tried it. I made some rye bread and gave it to him with butter. He started snacking on it, and I thought, “Okay, maybe I’m doing something good.”
With all that in mind and the fact you’ve had many different experiences. What advice would you give to a young person starting out as a chef?
Be humble. Be humble and try to learn. That’s what I learned from my father. Work hard and don’t think only about the result. At the end of the day, it will come to you. That’s how it happened for me. I was always working hard and thinking about what I could do to improve my craft. Then I would eventually get the result back. You will get where you want to go, but you need to keep working and be truthful to your craft. That’s what I always think. Even now, people might think that work means coming in, doing the job and earning money. Of course, that’s one part of it. But I need to be happy. Being in the restaurant business and doing something for the kitchen team, the restaurant and myself is a very humbling and rewarding experience.
Denmark House, 3/428 Little Collins Street, Melbourne