They created the world's northernmost Michelin-starred restaurant
‘I saw a unique opportunity to create something from scratch, grow my own vegetables, keep my own animals and never compromise on quality,’ says Ellingsen.
In 2020, the gourmet restaurant and farm hotel Kvitnes Gård opened. Six years later, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, making it the world's northernmost Michelin-starred restaurant.
Interest has been overwhelming since the Michelin star was awarded in June, and the restaurant is fully booked well into the future. Another accolade followed shortly afterwards, when Kvitnes won the ‘Best Single Plate of the Year 2025’ award at The Nordic Prize in Denmark.
‘It’s been a busy and absolutely crazy time. At the same time, you quickly come back down to earth when you get home to put the kids to bed and clear away the dishes,’ Ellingsen says with a smile.
Received help to develop the brand
Along the way, the innovation hub Egga Utvikling has been an important partner in the restaurant’s success.
«Egga has meant a great deal to us. They have helped us with strategy, applications and brand building from the very beginning.»
He says that Caroline Meyer at Egga has been an important sounding board for many years, acting as a kind of amateur psychologist when things have been difficult. The work to develop a clear brand identity has been particularly important.
‘She helped us define who we wanted to be and how we should present ourselves – to guests, the press and employees alike. That has been incredibly valuable.’
At the same time, we have provided funding and advisory at key stages of development.
‘The startup funding was crucial in helping us get started. Later, we received growth funding that enabled us to hire someone to run the farm, freeing up resources to develop the business further.’
Developing a new restaurant experience
Ellingsen is now planning the next step. The ambition is to create a new, more immersive restaurant experience on the farm, bringing guests even closer to the ingredients and the surrounding landscape.
‘We have submitted applications and received help from Egga with that process too. We now hope to start construction this autumn.’
Michelin star or not, the goal remains the same as it was at the start:
‘What matters most to us is constantly improving our dining experience and animal welfare, while making the best use of the farm’s resources,’ says the Michelin-starred chef.