As social distancing becomes part of the "new normal" across the world, two Swedish entrepreneurs have come up with an excellent idea for a restaurant – one they're describing as "corona-proof".
The brainchild of Rasmus Persson and Linda Karlsson, Bord For En (Table For One) is a pop-up venue in Sweden that, as the name suggests, invites a solo diner to book its single table and chair, which are located in a lush meadow roughly 350 kilometres from Stockholm.
The restaurant, which is based in Varmland, launched on Sunday, May 10 and will run until Saturday, August 1.
The idea is that whoever dines there will have absolutely no interaction with others. Not even a waiter, as any food and drinks will be served to each guest via a picnic basket tied to a rope, which leads to the kitchen window. It’ll be cranked towards the guest with the help of an old bicycle wheel.
The idea came as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Inspiration struck when Karlsson's parents, who are both over 70 years old, invited themselves over to the couple's new house in Ransatar. While there are no mandated restrictions on social distancing in Sweden, there are recommendations, which Karlsson and Persson follow. So, rather than invite her parents in, they set up a table with white linen in the garden and served them through the window.
Thus Bord For En was born.
How much one wants to pay for this unique dining experience is entirely up to the guest. "Everyone is in a different situation right now," the couple explain in a press statement. "The price for a three-course menu is voluntary and something each customer decides for themselves." The restaurant will donate any proceeds to a fund for creative mums.
What's on the menu?
Persson, who formerly trained as a chef, designed the set menu and the dishes are influenced by his fondest travels and memories.
The first course, or the Raraka, consists of a Swedish-style hash brown, Smetana (a type of sour cream similar to creme fraiche), seaweed caviar and wood-plucked sorrel. The main course, called "Black & Yellow", is yellow carrot-ginger puree, browned hazelnut butter, sweet corn croquettes and serpent root ash. For dessert, which is named "Last Days of Summer", they’ll serve ginned blueberries, iced buttermilk and viola sugar from beetroots on the couple’s farm.
This sweet dish is inspired by Persson’s grandmother’s kitchen. “She just recently passed away at 99 years old,” the statement explains. “He [Persson] spent his childhood summers with her, picking wild blueberries, rinsing them together in her lap and then enjoying a big bowl of fresh berries with iced milk and sugar – the things he loved best.”
As for the drinks – these are all non-alcoholic, with options curated by Joel Soderback, who runs bars in Sweden’s capital, including Tjoget, which was recently put on the World’s 50 Best Bars list. Concoctions are based on locally farmed and seasonal ingredients. This includes May Fruit, which is plum cordial, grape juice, seedlip spice and soda.
Whether or not they'll decide to extend the restaurant's life past August remains to be seen. "Many have come with suggestions on how to further develop the experience," the couple explain. "Maybe it will be a concert in the woods or a performance art show in the fields. Maybe a stand-up show for one in our basement. Anything is possible! Even with social distancing."
Inside%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
