Totally Stockholm 1
Robert Hållstrand doesn’t seem an obvious candida
te for face of the vegan movement, but vegan the restaurateur with years of experience certainly is. This autumn ChouChou will open in Mood Stockholm, and it is Hållstrand’s first restaurant with exclusively plant-based food. On board this vegan train he has been joined by his brother Douglas, Klara Lindahl Nord, who will become restaurant manager, and Sascha Zacharias, who will take the role of event manager. Gustav Johansson, known for vegan blogging as Jävligt gott, will be culinary director, and he gives us the lowdown. ”Just now we’re working on developing the menus and hiring staff. We’re also looking at the practical side of things, as the setup at ChouChou will be buffet dinner during the day and à la carte in the evenings. And at the same time we’re in the midst of renovating the premises,” explains Johansson. What made joining this project appeal to you? Several things. It was partly the kind of food that’s being served - as far as I know, there are no restaurants in Sweden that offer this type of plant-based food. There will be tasty Italian pizzas and hearty Swedish classic husmanskost dishes. Exactly the kind of food that is hard to find in plant-based form today. While there are an infinite number of burgers, options for normal restaurant food are lacking. That’s something Robert Hållstrand was very clear about when I first met him. He’s been vegan himself for many years, and he genuinely wants to create a place where everyone can eat plant-based food. I felt very attracted to that idea, and feel that this concept just had to be brought to life. The whole team is insanely talented, and this is a very ambitious project. Tell us about your role as culinary director? I will be responsible for the creation of the menu. We’re taking a lot of recipes that I have created through the years as the start point, and tweak them together with the chefs, so we can make them at scale, while maintaining a high standard and quality. The fundamentals are the type of food that I like - boeuf bourguignon, meatballs, creamy pasta, really good pizza, some Asian noodle dishes. I want to hand pick the most popular restaurant dishes that are hard to find today [in vegan form]. Gustav Johansson is also responsible for ChouChou’s marketing via social media. ”One thing I feel very strongly about is that we should be a hub for the development of plant-based food, something that’s really gathering pace throughout the world. There are an incredible amount of exciting new companies, initiatives, techniques, and raw produce that make it easier and more fun to cook plant-based food. ChouChou will be a shop window for that movement,” he explains. Very soon Mood Stockholm will be getting a new darling in the form of the plant-based restaurant ChouChou. Cookbook author and food blogger Gustav Johansson will be the culinary head honcho for the ambitious venture. Words Alexandra Lundbladh Photo: Stefan Wettainen and Gustav Johansson Despite the lack of animal produce, Gustav is very clear that ChouChou don’t want to pitch themselves as a restaurant just for vegan people. ”We want anyone and everyone to come here and enjoy good food. One aim for us is that you will come to us and not even think about the fact that the meal is plantbased. That’s just a bonus. This is not a ‘vegan restaurant’ in that sense, but it is a restaurant that serves plant-based food. But the point is not that it’s plant-based, the point is that it’s really good food, and that we prove that it’s possible with plant-based ingredients. We want to pound our chest and show that we are the new normal.” Do you consider the fact that your plantbased concept might scare away some potential customers? There will of course be some raised eyebrows. But with our location and Robert’s experience in running restaurants and nightclubs, I think we will succeed in making people dare to try what we offer. It’s so damn important that people understand it’s not an all-in decision – we don’t demand that they have to go vegan full-time just because they try eating here. If someone is hesitant, I’d love them to come and try it. It’s often a lot better than some people anticipate. People’s perception of vegan dishes are mostly salads and falafel. My experience is that people often become a little surprised when I get the chance to serve them my vision of what vegan fare can be. It’s up to us to live up to our big promises, but that’s exactly what we’re putting so much effort into doing right now. Recently Gustav participated in a YouTube series where he served a three-course meal to a diehard meat-lover. The verdict was that Gustav’s menu was of high-level restaurant quality. Something that bodes well for ChouChou. When I interviewed you two years ago, you said ‘Just imagine if Sturehof served really high-quality vegan versions of classic Swedish husmanskost. I don’t think anyone would complain’. Now you’re taking matters into your own hands instead. Absolutely, you can say that again. We’re taking our chance, now that we have the possibility. I’m incredibly grateful for the fact that Robert and his team want to launch this ambitious project, and that they’re bring me along for the ride. Had you ever thought about doing this yourself before? The good thing with this is that I can stick to my strengths without having to try all the things I might not be as good at. I have never had the ambition to start a restaurant myself. It feels a bit like when Bonnier asked me if I wanted to write a cookbook. Of course, you want to write a cookbook and start a restaurant, but you cannot just do it haphazardly. It has to be done in the right way. In this case it is, without a doubt. We all have the same vision, and the conditions to do this in are fantastic. For the last few weeks, the ChouChou team has had workshops to experiment with the upcoming menu. Could you share any information? There will be meatballs on the à la carte menu. It’s a must. Cream stew meatballs with mash, pickled cucumber and lingonberry. We will have some form of classic Italian pasta on the menu. Sascha Zacharias lived in Italy for 17 years, so she’ll be our litmus test when it comes to pasta. There will also be many tasty stews, but the meatballs are the cherry on the cake. We’re hoping the Stureplan suits will feel it’s appropriate to bring all of their climate conscious investors to ChouChou and treat them to a real good lunch. ChouChou opens in Mood Stockholm this autumn. 15