- Written by: Chefluencer Editorial Team
Copenhagen in the bleak midwinter is usually a place of whispered hygge and bone-chilling winds, but this January, the city’s pulse had been recalibrated by an audacious experiment in culinary unity. And it began with a manifesto: Spora.
Launched as a state-of-the-art innovation centre at Refshaleøen, Spora was designed to let the "search for deliciousness lead technology," backed by a cool 10 million DKK investment to redefine how we perceive protein and food waste. The inaugural Spora Forum in 2025 set the stage for a multidisciplinary fever dream, bringing together NASA scientists, gut-microbiome experts like Tim Spector, and neurogastronomy pioneers to dissect the future of what we swallow with a total of 160 guests from the gastronomy sector.
Now, that intellectual spark has ignited something even more spectacular: Convergence.
From 29 January to 2 February 2026, Rasmus Munk’s Alchemist, a restaurant that has always treated dinner as a form of high-concept theatre, hosted an unprecedented international gathering. While the industry often feels like a wearying race for rankings, Convergence was a historic statement of collaboration over competition. Munk summoned the world’s most influential restaurants and bars from 26 countries to the Danish capital, not to duel, but to speak a shared artistic language.
The scale was, frankly, staggering. Munk orchestrated a logistical miracle, bringing together 60 teams, boasting a combined 82 Michelin stars. This wasn't a relay of isolated guest shifts but a total surrender of the culinary ego. For 5 days, each evening, a roster of 12+ guest chefs integrated their signature dishes into Alchemist’s 50-impression "dramaturgy," maintaining a sensory rhythm that spanned six continents.
On one of those mindblowing evenings, on Sunday, 1 February, I found myself beneath the glowing dome, and the atmosphere was electric. With the legendary Neil Perry as Guest of Honour and the masters from Sips behind the bar, the kitchen was a whirlwind of genius.
We experienced the seamless integration of Albert Adriá’s restless innovation—personified by a weightless, three-gram Parmesan air waffle—and the meticulous, nutrient-dense craft of Junghyun Park, whose use of nuruk brought a buttery, nutty depth to the plate. The relentless product-worship of Bruno Verjus, manifesting in his signature lobster ni-cru-ni-cuit, met the quiet, Swedish soul of Daniel Berlin’s "hot and cold" scallops. Jan Hartwig (Jan), celebrated for his precision and balance, served a goulash inspired by the sweet-and-sour pork of Hong Kong; its fried, glazed sweetbreads were so irresistible that they were known to turn even the most hardened sweetbread-haters into believers.
The night’s "fiery melting pot" was completed by the remaining masters of the roster: Jessica Rosval (Al Gatto Verde) explored the Renaissance through her "ancient sauces" and locally hunted wild boar, while the South African duo of Peter Tempelhoff (Fyn) and James Gaag (La Colombe) brought high-concept African game and their iconic "tuna in a tin" to the table. Kyle Connaughton (SingleThread) provided a poetic tribute to native pollinators with a dessert of honey and beeswax, and Tetsuro Maeda (Txispa) delivered the primordial soul of the Basque Country with a 160-day-aged Txuleta steak grilled simply over embers. The evening reached its ultimate crescendo with Neil Perry's thick-cut David Blackmore Full Blood Wagyu Sirloin. Meticulously grilled, rested, and sliced, the beef sat in a vibrant pool of red curry butter, accompanied by a charred spring onion.
It was a rare, shimmering moment where the culinary universe felt neither fragmented nor competitive, but entirely unified, subordinated to a single, coherent sensory rhythm.
For those who found the DKK 16,000-24,000 price tag a touch eye-watering, the event’s true soul might lie in the Convergence Symposium, where the white jackets were swapped for microphones. This daytime programme of seminars and talks aimed to bridge the gap between the culinary elite and the public.
On 30 January, the action moved to the architectural splendour of the DR Concert Hall for the Convergence Symposium. The doors opened at 09:00 for a day of presentations and networking that concluded at 15:00, offering rare access to insights usually locked behind the world’s most expensive kitchen doors.
It was here that a political bombshell was dropped: the Danish Minister of Culture, Jacob Engel-Schmidt, announced an initiative to explore whether gastronomy should be officially recognised as a fine art. If successful, Denmark would be the first nation to legally classify cooking as a form of cultural production worthy of the same state support as painting or ballet. Munk noted that such a designation would finally grant chefs the "time and space to develop creativity," citing a "jealousy" of musicians who aren't forced to write their albums while performing on stage.
The world’s elite voices—including Josh Niland, Vicky Cheng, Jessica Rosval, Rodolfo Guzmán and Rasmus Munk—explored the theme "Gastronomy as Artistic Expression". This wasn't just for the glitterati; it was an open invitation to culinary students, school children, their teachers, and the curious public to witness how food intersects with art, innovation, and sustainability.
For those who preferred their intellectual stimulation before noon, the Spora Talks run daily from 29 January to 2 February (10:30–12:00) at the Spora facility (Refshalevej 153, 1432 Copenhagen). These morning sessions served as the cerebral engine-room of the week, providing a daily deep-dive into the industry's future:
• Day 1: Featured the marine mastery of Ángel León, the mountain philosophy of Norbert Niederkofler, alongside Jordi Bross and Santiago Lastra.
• Day 3: Turned the spotlight on Latin American innovation with Luiz Filipe, Jaime Rodríguez, Alejandro Chamorro, Alberto Landgraf, and Francisco “Paco” Ruano.
• Day 4: A masterclass in regional identity; Jaime Pesaque explored the two seasons of the Amazon, while Leonor Espinosa de la Ossa and Laura Hernández presented the edible and drinkable culture of Colombia, followed by René Frank tackling the question: "What is Dessert?".
• Day 5: Concluded with global perspectives from Hiroyasu Kawate and Varun Totlani, alongside Rasmus Munk and Spora’s Minaka Ono.
This impressive event was a true "beacon for dialogue" for a global community that had spent too long in silos. By positioning gastronomy as cultural expression and contemporary art rather than a mere luxury service, Convergence sought to "supercharge" the industry with collective inspiration. In a world of increasing polarisation, Munk bet that the most revolutionary thing a chef can do is stop trying to win and start trying to share.
If this becomes the yearly ritual he intends, the centre of the culinary universe may just have found its permanent, pulsing home in a former shipyard in Denmark.
Full list of guest chefs
The roster reads like a feverish wish-list for any dedicated glutton.
Thursday, 29 January
• Guest of Honour: Dej Kewkacha
• Guest Bar: Paradiso (Giacomo Giannotti)
• Guest Bar: Paradiso (Giacomo Giannotti)
• Restaurants: Aponiente (Chef Ángel León), Atelier Moessmer (Chef Norbert Niederkofler), Kadeau (Chef Nicolai Nørregaard), Kol (Chef Santiago Lastra), Le Calandre (Chef Massimiliano Alajmo), Maido (Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura), Onjium (Chef Sungbae Park), Orfali Bros Bistro (Chef Mohamad Orfali), Oteque (Chef Alberto Landgraf), Uliassi (Chef Mauro Uliassi), Willem Hiele (Chef Willem Hiele), Wing (Chef Vicky Cheng).
Friday, 30 January
• Guest of Honour: Franco Pepe
• Guest Bar: Bird (Peter Altenburg)
• Guest Bar: Bird (Peter Altenburg)
• Restaurants: Quintonil (Chef Jorge Vallejo), Arca (Chef José Luis Hinostroza), Boragó (Chef Rodolfo Guzmán), Koan (Chef Kristian Baumann), La Cime (Chef Yusuke Takada), Lasai (Chef Rafa Costa e Silva), Nuema (Chef Alejandro Chamorro), The Clove Club (Chef Isaac McHale), Alcalde (Chef “Paco” Francisco Ruano), Chef Tam’s Seasons (Chef Tam Kwok Fung), Huniik (Chef Roberto Solís), Salsify at the Roundhouse (Chef Ryan Cole).
Saturday, 31 January
• Guests of Honour: Rasmus Kofoed & Tássia Magalhães
• Guest Bar: La Sala de Laura (Laura Hernández Espinosa)
• Guest Bar: La Sala de Laura (Laura Hernández Espinosa)
• Restaurants: Amisfield (Chef Vaughan Mabee), Celele (Chef Jaime Rodríguez), Evvai (Chef Luiz Filipe Souza), Jordnær (Chef Eric Vildgaard), Kjolle (Chef Pía León), Labyrinth (Chef LG Han), Leo (Chef Leonor Espinosa de la Ossa), Mountain (Chef Tomos Parry), Mugaritz (Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz), Saint Peter (Chef Joshua Niland).
Sunday, 1 February
• Guest of Honour: Neil Perry
• Guest Bar: Sips (Marc Alvarez)
• Guest Bar: Sips (Marc Alvarez)
• Restaurants: Al Gatto Verde (Chef Jessica Rosval), Atelier Crenn (Chef Dominique Crenn), Atomix (Chef Junghyun Park), Enigma (Chef Albert Adriá), Fyn (Chef Peter Tempelhoff), Jan (Chef Jan Hartwig), La Colombe (Chef James Gaag), SingleThread (Chef Kyle Connaughton), Table by Bruno Verjus (Chef Bruno Verjus), Txispa (Chef Tetsuro Maeda), Vyn (Chef Daniel Berlin).
Monday, 2 February
• Guest Bars: Bar Leone (Lorenzo Antinori) & The Connaught (Agostino Perrone).
• Restaurants: Bozar (Chef Karen Torosyan), Coda (Chef René Frank), Cocina Hermanos Torres (Chefs Javier & Sergio Torres), El Chato (Chef Álvaro Clavijo), Florilège (Chef Hiroyasu Kawate), Masque (Chef Varun Totlani), Mayta (Chef Jaime Pesaque), Mérito (Chef Juan Luis Martínez), Neolokal (Chef Maksut Aşkar), Quique Dacosta (Chef Quique Dacosta), Schloss Schauenstein (Chef Andreas Caminada), Tantris (Chef Benjamin Chmura).
Practicalities:
- Dates (dinners): 29 January to 2 February 2026
- Scale: 60+ chefs, Top 100 (World’s 50 Best), 26 countries, six continents
- Tickets (Alchemist dinners): DKK 16,000 (menu + pairing) or DKK 24,000 (menu + exclusive pairing); price per person per evening; solo diners seated at shared tables
- Convergence Symposium: DR Koncerthuset, 30 January 2026, 09:00–15:00, from DKK 200
- Spora Talks: Spora Facility, January 29th -February 2nd, 10:30-13:00
All photos courtesy of Alchemist.