Interview: Nordic Chefs.
Two food enthusiasts have built a worldwide culinary success with Nordic Chefs — from Instagram to collaborations with Michelin-starred restaurants.
Nordic Chefs is made up of Nicolai Damgaard, CEO, and Thomas Axelsen, COO, two food lovers with a special passion for gourmet cuisine. They first met while working together in previous jobs.
Content
- Nordic Chefs' Instagram Growth in a Competitive Market
- Nordic Chefs' Own Kitchen Tools Making Waves in the Nordic Market
- Løvens Hule as a Launchpad: Nordic Chefs Continue Product Development
- Michelin Collaborations and Global Recognition
- Nordic Chefs Boost Restaurant Visibility Through Targeted Video Content
- From Insurance Agent to Food Entrepreneur
Nordic Chefs’ Instagram Growth in a Competitive Market
- Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
Today, Nordic Chefs' Instagram boasts over 300,000 followers.
"We got in at the right time. Nowadays, it’s much harder to grow on Instagram due to intense competition and changes in the algorithm. Back then, the platform wasn’t as crowded — somewhat like the early days of TikTok. Our success comes from quality content and the fact that prominent chefs worldwide follow us. The Nordic culinary wave really shows how talented we are here in the region," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
Nordic Chefs’ Own Kitchen Tools Making Waves in the Nordic Market
Nordic Chefs is just one of five major Instagram accounts showcasing everything happening in the culinary world. Besides sharing exciting food content, they also offer a range of products designed specifically for chefs.
"It felt natural for us to develop our own products that we truly stand behind. Through collaborations with chefs, we started designing items like our cooking tweezers, which have become quite popular. Next, we created our own line of knives, now sold in stores throughout the Nordic countries, and we’re working on expanding to other markets," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
One of their latest products is a set of specialty tartlet irons in different shapes, which have drawn significant interest. “I’d always wanted a good-quality iron like this, but the options on the market didn’t meet our standards. So we decided to produce our own high-quality versions," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
Løvens Hule as a Launchpad: Nordic Chefs Continue Product Development
Nicolai and Thomas appeared on Season 8, Episode 9 of “Løvens Hule” (the Danish version of “Shark Tank” or "Dragons Den"). “We knew it was a bit early for our knives, as they weren’t yet available in physical stores. Our pitch focused on the untapped potential of Nordic Chefs,” Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
They were featured for only nine minutes out of the ninety-minute episode. Although they didn’t secure investment, they took the feedback from the investors seriously and have since focused on product development.
Michelin Collaborations and Global Recognition
"We’ve partnered with several Michelin-starred restaurants and manage the social media for Restaurant Jordnær since its opening in 2017. We also collaborate with Søllerød Kro and the world-renowned chef Brian Mark Hansen," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
Even Gordon Ramsay follows them on Instagram and has commented on some of their posts. “It’s pretty amazing to get that kind of attention,” Nicolai says with a big smile.
Nordic Chefs Boost Restaurant Visibility Through Targeted Video Content
Since going full-time with Nordic Chefs, they’ve had the chance to create even more high-quality content alongside restaurants. “We visit places like Søllerød Kro to film cooking videos while promoting them on both their channels and ours,” says Nicolai. In just three months, Søllerød Kro’s content reached 50 million viewers — 30 million of those through Nordic Chefs’ channels.
"The driving force behind our success is our passion for gastronomy and a constant desire to learn and improve. We’re always looking for new opportunities and continuously add products and partnerships," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
From Insurance Agent to Food Entrepreneur
After seven years in the insurance industry, Nicolai quit his job to become a full-time entrepreneur with Nordic Chefs, which began as a hobby project. “My girlfriend cried tears of joy because I could finally focus on just one job," Nicolai Damgaard, Nordic Chefs.
Nicolai and Thomas complement each other well — Nicolai is the impulsive idea man, while Thomas is more cautious and serves as the necessary “brake.” This dynamic creates a balanced partnership.
Thank you so much for the conversation, Nicolai. We’re truly proud to call you our partner.
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