Fresh from earning its third Michelin star, Restaurant Kadeau returned to the island where its story began. For the third consecutive year, chef-owner Nicolai Nørregaard and his team welcomed some of the world's most exciting culinary talents to Bornholm for Bonhomie – a celebration of friendship, food, and community.
Just weeks after becoming one of the Nordic region's most celebrated restaurants with three Michelin stars, Kadeau shifted its focus back to its roots. On Bornholm, where the restaurant first opened in 2007, Bonhomie once again transformed the island into one of Scandinavia's most vibrant gastronomic meeting places.
Now in its third edition, the two-day event has quickly become a highlight of the Nordic culinary calendar. Rather than another symposium or formal congress, Bonhomie was created as something entirely different – an event where chefs, producers, winemakers, bartenders, and industry friends gather simply to cook, eat, and spend time together.
"We felt something was missing," says chef-owner Nicolai Nørregaard. "There are so many conferences and symposiums focused on talks and presentations. What I enjoy most when I travel is actually everything that happens around them – the conversations, the dinners, the friendships. That's what we wanted to bring to Bornholm."
The name itself captures the spirit perfectly. Derived from the French word bonhomie, it describes warmth, friendliness, and easy companionship – qualities that have become the hallmark of the event.
Bonhomie opened with an extraordinary collaborative dinner at Kadeau Bornholm, bringing together an impressive lineup of international guest chefs. Hugo Roellinger of Le Coquillage in Brittany, Karime López of Gucci Osteria in Florence, and Merlin Labron-Johnson of Osip in Somerset joined Nørregaard and the Kadeau team for an ambitious multi-chef tasting menu celebrating both Bornholm and the chefs' individual culinary identities.
The menu moved effortlessly between Nordic ingredients and international influences, from Kadeau's mackerel pie with ramson butter and smoked salmon to Roellinger's lobster with cacao and three chilies, López's king crab taco with marine mole, and Labron-Johnson's delicate scallops with dried tomato, unripe strawberry, and meadowsweet.
The following day, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Guests gathered at the restaurant for what Nørregaard simply calls "the party" – a relaxed outdoor celebration featuring street food, cocktails, wines, DJs, and chefs cooking side by side. And adding to the festival's laid-back atmosphere was the return of the Austrian trio Healthy Boy Band, chefs Lukas Mraz, Philip Rachinger and Felix Schellhorn, who brought their distinctive blend of creativity, humour and controlled chaos to Bornholm.
"We wanted to expand the community," he says. "Not everything has to be serious. This is about hospitality in its purest form."
For Nørregaard, Bonhomie is also an opportunity to present Bornholm to colleagues from around the world. This year's guests arrived from across Europe, including France, Italy, Norway, Finland, Poland, and beyond, many visiting the island for the first time.
"We want to show Bornholm at its finest," he explains. "Not only the restaurant, but the gardens, the smokehouses, the beaches, the artisans, and the people behind everything we do."
Hosting an international event on a Baltic island comes with considerable logistical challenges, but Nørregaard believes that is precisely what makes it worthwhile.
"Bornholm is the beating heart of our company. It would certainly be easier to organise something in Copenhagen, but this is where our story began."
Each year, the guest lineup is carefully curated. Rather than simply inviting friends, Kadeau selects chefs whose philosophies resonate with its own approach to seasonality, locality, and craftsmanship.
This year's collaboration with Merlin Labron-Johnson felt particularly natural.
"We don't cook the same food," says Nørregaard, "but we share many of the same values. Then we add someone like Karime López, who brings different flavours and another perspective. That balance makes the experience complete."
Many of the participating chefs and guests stayed at The Dunes, Kadeau's glamping retreat at Balka Beach, creating a relaxed basecamp for the weekend. Between cooking, preparing for service, and sharing meals, they could unwind by the sea, enjoy casual food and drinks, swim in the Baltic, or simply reconnect with colleagues. More than just accommodation, The Dunes became an extension of Bonhomie itself, reinforcing the event's emphasis on hospitality, friendship, and the slower rhythm of island life.
The timing of this year's Bonhomie made the celebration even more significant. Only weeks earlier, Kadeau had received its long-awaited third Michelin star – a recognition Nørregaard admits still feels surreal.
"The difference between two and three stars is enormous," he says. "The attention from media, events, and colleagues has been incredible. I'm still trying to take it all in."
Yet despite the accolades, his focus remains firmly on creativity rather than maintaining the status quo.
"Some people say the challenge after receiving three stars is not to become too safe. That won't happen. I have no interest in standing still. Creating new things is what keeps me inspired."
That philosophy was visible throughout Bonhomie. Rather than becoming more exclusive following Michelin's highest honour, Kadeau chose to celebrate by opening its doors even wider, inviting fellow chefs, friends, and guests to experience the island that continues to define the restaurant's identity.
With glorious summer weather, a full programme of outstanding food, music, and hundreds of guests from across Europe, Bonhomie once again demonstrated that some of gastronomy's most meaningful moments happen away from the dining room — around a shared table, on a beach, or during a late-night conversation between friends.
