CloseUp client AVEQIA London serves up a delicious Swedish Smörgåsbord in the heart of the City

AVEQIA, the only Swedish Active Cooking venue in the City of London has launched the Smörgåsbord at AVEQIA in 2 St Bride Street, London EC4 with the assistance of award-winning Swedish Chef Roland Persson, as ‘Guest Chef’.  

“There’s a growing trend for Swedish food in London and I’m proud that AVEQIA serves only the highest quality", says David Berggren, Founder and CEO of AVEQIA. “For those who are new to the Smörgåsbord concept, it was made popular in 17th century Sweden and was originally a celebratory meal comprising a large number of small dishes on an open table and AVEQIA offers a modern, fine dining twist on the concept”.
 
AVEQIA’s growing reputation in London recently secured them the engagement to provide hospitality for 300 VIP guests to launch a new book featuring iconic photographs of Swedish supergroup ABBA. The book commemorates the 40th anniversary of the group’s Eurovision win with “Waterloo” and the event took place with the band in attendance at the Tate Modern on Monday 7thApril.
 
Guest chef Roland Persson is known internationally for his experience in luxury food having managed the famous French Restaurant in the Grand Hotel, Stockholm.

"At AVEQIA our award-winning chefs skillfully prepare all the dishes from scratch", says COO Mikael Björkqvist. "Our Smörgåsbord includes traditional Swedish dishes such as meatballs in a rich cream sauce, Jansson's Temptation - a potato and anchovy gratin, beetroot salad, rye and crisp breads accompanied by an impressive cheese selection. Our fine selection of cold cuts includes elk salami and ham with a mustard glaze as well as pickled cucumber and several different kinds of pickled herring, smoked salmon and gravlax. We use only the finest ingredients which are sourced locally where possible or imported from Sweden in the case of speciality dishes from the Swedish sea, lakes and forests."

The new Monday – Friday AVEQIA Smörgåsbord which will be available between 12noon and 3.00pm (*closed on Bank Holidays) is £25 per person and will include:
* Swedish Smörgåsbord
* Still or sparkling water
* Filter coffee or Tea from Dammann
* Selection of Swedish desserts
* One glass of AVEQIA house wine, beer or soft drink

Michelle Cruz-Garlick, Operations Manager explains the dining experience at AVEQIA:
"Dining at AVEQIA is a unique experience. The chefs are available during the lunch to take visitors through details on the different dishes and their ingredients. Our motto is 'Connecting through gastronomy' and that’s something we strongly believe in. Our core business is arranging active cooking events for corporate and private groups for parties of up to 75.  It's a successful concept and we’ve seen an increase in demand both for the clean and crisp flavours of Swedish food and the opportunity to experience a cooking activity with a difference."

David Berggren created the term “Active Cooking” back in 1999, “I wanted to create a concept where people could meet, cook a high class meal and simultaneously build and develop their relationships with colleagues, partners, friends or family. I’m passionate about the power of food and its ability to bring people from all walks of life together. Active cooking is not a cooking course but a way to socialise in a relaxed environment with food as the focal point”.
 
After 10 years under the brand Aptit Stockholm the company is expanding internationally under the name AVEQIA. The name is inspired by the legendary Roman gourmands who truly knew how to enjoy food and wine. AVE was used to greet people and welcome them. Q stands for Quorum which was the meeting place for the Senate, I for Inspiratio – inspiration, and A for Accubo, which simply means "to the table".
 
Located in the heart of the City of London, close to the historical St Paul’s AVEQIA boasts a stylish, contemporary bar area, with state of the art kitchen studios featuring high-end equipment from its partners Gaggenau and Siemens. The overall look and style of the space is Nordic Scandinavian, clean and light and was designed by Swedish architect Jenny Andersson and is furnished with classic Swedish designs by Carl Malmsten and Bruno Mathsson mixed with contemporary Swedish design by Miss Holly.
 
A daytime or evening booking for an AVEQIA active cooking experience can be for a small intimate group of 8 or a large corporate team of 75.  Following a welcome drink, each group will cook in a private studio with the finest organic and seasonal ingredients. AVEQIA’s host of star chefs will inspire and teach professional methods on how to create wonderful modern cuisine with a Swedish influence. Along with the meal each person creates, they can also enjoy expertly paired wines selected by the in house sommelier. Whether it’s for a team building exercise or a celebration, AVEQIA’s appeal is universal and most importantly, fun and interactive. There are opportunities to participate in cocktail, beer and wine masterclasses and for those who are looking for the ultimate private fine dining experience, AVEQIA has the exclusive Krug Kitchen with its array of champagnes to enjoy, where dishes are specifically created to match the champagnes.
 

AVEQIA London
2 St Bride Street
London EC4A 4AD

info@aveqia.co.uk

Tel: 020 3 651 2972

AVEQIA London: www.aveqia.co.uk

Twitter: @AveqiaLondon