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(CNN) - The cost of a three-course meal at Bord For En, a pop-up restaurant in Sweden that opens on May 10, is left to the diner's discretion.
And so is the food, unique, as the name of the restaurant suggests.
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The restaurant's unique table and chair are set in a lush meadow in Värmland, Sweden. (Credit: Linda Karlsson)
Rasmus Persson and Linda Karlsson are the couple responsible for the unique concept. Located in Värmland, approximately 350 kilometers from Stockholm, the restaurant, or the restaurant's individual table and chair, to be more precise, is situated in a lush meadow.
The promise, and the premise, is not to interact with others. This is an individual experience meant to be enjoyed in isolation.
There are no waiters and there is no other customer on site. Throughout their limited tour (open until August 1), one person per day will be served so that Persson and Karlsson can fully focus on the guest.
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The couple is not trying to change the industry and, in fact, they are not doing this to make money.
They say that they will not allow spectators either: “We want to avoid the feeling of being watched while you eat. We all face difficult times and there are people who have lost their jobs, a loved one, or even those who are insane. ”
Eat now, pay what you want
Persson and Karlsson came up with the Table for One concept on a whim one afternoon, several weeks ago, when Karlsson's parents showed up at the couple's home as the covid-19 pandemic stalked the world.
Karlsson notes that Sweden has issued recommendations, not full restrictions, on social distancing practices.
Despite that, Persson and Karlsson decided that instead of letting Karlsson's parents be at risk inside the house where the four of them could enjoy a shared meal under normal circumstances, it would be wise to set up a table for them outside in the garden. at a safe distance.
The restaurant will receive one customer per night from May 10 to August 1, who will have the pleasure of dining with himself. (Credit: Linda Karlsson)
This unusual dining experience inspired something more official. Thus Table for One was born.
“We welcome everyone, no matter what financial situation they are in. The menu price depends on the guest, ”says Karlsson, who, along with Persson, has experience in the customer service industry: she, in front of the house; him in the back.
Karlsson and Persson work on the radio, and while Karlsson says the question "what do you plan to do with your wild and precious life?" Is haunting everyone, he has not yet figured it out. Still, the couple says they could expand Table For One "when this is all over."
Socially acceptable meals
In many international cities, dining alone, whether at the bar or in a corner, is not only acceptable but also standardized and appreciated.
Still, not all restaurants have adopted the practice of solo dining. Karlsson is optimistic that Table For One will further decrease the lingering social discomfort surrounding the lone diner: "I have dreamed that it is socially acceptable to dine alone, and perhaps now we are getting there."
To start, there will be Swedish-style potato croquettes, smetana (a type of sour cream), seaweed caviar, and wood sorrel. (Courtesy of Linda Karlsson)
"The mere image of the lonely chair and table is a call to solo experiences."
Three dishes, one guest
The menu, inspired by Persson's travels and memories, is set throughout the restaurant's months. Swedish-style French fries, smetana (a type of sour cream), seaweed caviar, and plucked sorrel are the starter.
After the first course there is carrot and yellow ginger puree, golden hazelnut butter, sweet corn croquettes, snake root ash. The dessert, called "Last Days of Summer," consists of blueberries, frozen buttermilk, and beet viola sugar on the couple's farm.
Drinks will also be served, but all will be of a non-alcoholic variety.
For example elderflower, seeds and strawberries served in a small bottle, thanks to curator Joel Söderbäck, who runs a couple of high-end bars in Stockholm. Söderbäck plans to take advantage of locally grown and seasonal ingredients to create its concoctions.
Food and drink will be brought to each guest in a picnic basket tied to a rope leading to the restaurant's kitchen window.
When asked if they will make exceptions for more than one guest, let's say a couple who have isolated themselves together, Karlsson says "unfortunately not."
"It feels sad to say no," he adds, praising the authenticity of the self-isolation experience.
“We may be isolated, but do we spend time with ourselves? This is an opportunity to do so. It is worth spending time with them. ”
Isolationcovid-19Restaurants