British chef Paul Cunningham has won a Michelin star for his 11-month-old restaurant, the Paul, in Copenhagen.
Cunningham's restaurant is one of six new one-stars in Scandinavia, announced with the publication of the Michelin 2004 Main Cities of Europe Guide on Monday (15 March).
Talking exclusively to Caterer, Cunningham said: "We've got top marks in all the newspapers over here, but getting the star is the cherry on the cake - especially as we've not been open a year."
The Paul is sited in the Glass Hall building in Copenhagen's famous Tivoli Gardens. It specialises in seasonal modern European tasting menus that can feature up to 25 courses.
The 35-year-old chef moved to Denmark 10 years ago and gained a Michelin star for the restaurant S"ller"d Kro in 1997. Before that he was sous chef at Gloucestershire hotel Lords of the Manor under its then head chef, Clive Dixon.
The Paul - named after Cunningham and Danish architect Poul Henningsen, who designed the Glass Hall in 1944 - has a brigade of four chefs and three trainees.
The other Scandinavian one-stars are TyvenKokkenHansKoneOgHendes Elsker and Formel B in Copenhagen; Lux and Mistral in Stockholm; and the George in Helsinki.
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 18 - 24 March 2004