Alex Nietosvuori & Ally Thompson-Nietosvuori

Alex Nietosvuori Is Keeping “Hjem” Alive While Building “Freyja” for the Long Term

Linda Iliste, 26.02.2026

What looks like a logistical shuffle is also a reset of creative ownership. As Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori keeps restaurant Hjem true to itself in a temporary setting, he’s also articulating the ambition behind his next chapter: a restaurant that can mature slowly, with the rooms, rhythm and decision-making power to match.

For a restaurant that quite literally translates as “home”, Hjem in the north of England has spent the past year preparing to move. The Michelin-starred project, founded by Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his wife Ally Thompson-Nietosvuori, opened in 2019 and was awarded its first Michelin star in January 2021.

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Alex Nietosvuori Is Keeping “Hjem” Alive While Building “Freyja” for the Long Term