Chef Pontus Frithiof is the biggest thing since pickled herring in his home town of Stockholm in Sweden. He took time out from his restaurant and brasserie to talk to Emily Manson about his new project - banqueting at the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel
What inspired you to cook?
Originally I had an interest in eating, which is not the same thing, but I grew to love cooking too. I did work experience in the holidays in restaurants and found it very interesting, especially in the kitchen.
Who are your influences?
My mentor is Erik Lallerstedt - he's one of the most famous chefs in Sweden and a good friend. He owned the Greenhouse before I bought it. When I worked there he used to take very good care of me and didn't just make me peel onions and potatoes but let me dress plates and made me taste everything, which gave me my passion.
How would you describe your cooking style?
It's different in the two restaurants. Pontus at the Greenhouse is a gourmet restaurant and we cook modern classics using only the most exclusive raw materials, such as lobster and truffles. The other restaurant, Pontus by the Sea, is more of a brasserie where we serve simpler food.
How do you devise your menus?
Our team has worked together for a long time. We talk about food all the time and have a very good dialogue. We test the menus but we have been cooking together for so many years now, we know instinctively if the dish fits our style and is going to work.
Do you have a signature dish?
Not really but at the Greenhouse we serve a starter which is quite well known. It's five different canaps together - peeled prawns with a quail egg, a parsley omelette with smoked eel and trout roe, a potato blini and bleak roe, foie gras with a Sauternes jelly and a lobster salad with truffle.
What will you be cooking at the Sheraton Stockholm?
Banqueting is another kind of cooking. We'll be serving up to 1,000 people with five kitchen staff but we'll continue cooking our way, following the seasons of fish, shellfish and vegetables to keep the menus fresh. Some chefs cook for themselves which is a mistake; we listen to the customers.
What's the restaurant scene in Stockholm like?
PF It's very interesting as new restaurants are opening up all the time with great chefs behind them. It's a hard restaurant scene, as it's not a big city like London or Paris, so the competition keeps us on our toes.
Your menus have lots of fish - do you have a favourite dish?
Herring - marinated in mustard for one day, then fried and served with new or mashed potatoes with dill or lemon. It's a very simple dish but very good and traditional Swedish fare too.
What's your next move?
Our company is very tied to my name and I think it's important to keep involved with the cooking. This will be good for now. There are always things to do but I'm not in a hurry.