HYLAND
Andy Warhol's iconic, $3 million silkscreen
of a transvestite, Ladies and Gentlemen, appropriately
dominates a wall in a sumptuous hotel restaurant. Close by,
there are several provocative Bryan Ferry photographs, a
video installation that evokes a myriad of intense emotions,
and a startling, red-lettered tablet with sexually graphic
language. Other stunning, museum-worthy pieces are
sprinkled throughout Oslo's The Thief, the hippest, most
opulent, over the top hotel in Scandinavia.
Head chef Johan Laursen is too preoccupied to revel
in these treasures. Constantly under pressure, whether it's
catering to the likes of Bill Gates, Miley Cyrus, or finalizing
the details of a celebrity wedding party, he must focus on
heightening the sybaritic appeal of the 2 year-old Thief and
its FRU-K restaurant.
Yet on the eve of that glitzy wedding, this 31 year old
culinary wunderkind has added reason to be anxious. He's
awaiting a precious shipment, one that will remind him of
his childhood, and also attest to his own art work.
"My langoustines, veal with elderflower and almond
potato are very important to me, but what must also be
perfect are jordbaer, strawberries, those that are really sweet
and the deepest red. Combine them with rhubarb, akevitt
and vanilla, that's heaven!" insists Laursen, who perfected
his magic as a sous chef at Oslo's two-starred Michelin
restaurant Maaemo.
"My mother and I used to pick them every weekend, so
while I am always thinking of new concepts, I still rely on the
past, tradition, getting to farms to see if the chickens and
cows are the best. That's why this shipment, the season's
first, is important. Sometimes art is all about simplicity."
The surge of intoxicating flavors at FRU-K may be
