Danmark

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THE DANISH CLUB
New hand
at the tiller in the kitchen
l Many members have noticed
a recent and significant
improvement in the quality of
the Danish food in the Club.
The explanation is Birgitte
Kahn.
Birgitte Kahn joined the
staff in the kitchen early this
autumn and the effect has
been immediate. Which is,
perhaps, what one should expect
from a serious and experienced
chef with a broad
background from a variety of
catering positions. Except that
Birgitte Kahn, wife of the head
of Visit Denmark in London,
Denmark’s official tourist office
in the capital, prefers not
to be called a chef. “I do not
see myself as a chef,” she says.
“I’m a “kogekone”, a cook, and
I like to make good old-fashioned
Danish food and “smørrebrød,”
open sandwiches, in
the traditional way.”
In other words, the way
many of us want it to be when
we lunch or invite Danish or
English guests to join us in the
Club.
Over the past few months,
Birgitte Kahn has not only
taken a very much hands-on
approach in the kitchen, but
also acted as a coach for her
new colleagues in Head Chef
Simon Whitley’s team. “They
are wonderful to work with
and very interested in doing
the right thing,” Birgitte says.
“In the first few days, I decided
not to comment on anything
but in the end I couldn’t help
myself and had to speak out.
Fortunately, my comments
were very well received and
now we all work in a fine partnership.
They are really excel-
Simon and Birgitte.
lent at what they do, especially
with patisserie. They are keen
to learn and I really enjoy
working with them all.”
Before joining the Arts
Club/Danish Club Birgitte
Kahn worked for some time
with the Scandinavian Kitchen
in Titchfield Street, a good
supporter of the Danish Club,
and had really wanted to retire
when the offer came to
work in Dover Street. Here,
she is in charge of the Danish
food most days at lunchtime,
making homemade “frikadeller”
and much else and ensuring
that the popular “platte” is
NYT FRA DANMARK DANISH CLUB l NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008
served correctly.
Her background testifies to
her skills. A cook/chef with a
number of catering institutions,
Birgitte Kahn holds a
food and hygiene certificate
from the College of North West
London and has worked as a
trainer/teacher in a number of
positions in Denmark and the
UK.
Cooking, however, is not the
only string to Birgitte’s bow.
When living with her Norwegian
husband in Trondheim,
Birgitte Kahn was involved
in the running of the family’s
three clothes shops and when
she arrived in London with
her husband and three Danish/Norwegian/English
sons
she set up her own translation
company, specialising in the
Danish tourist industry. That,
however, is now left to her sons
- for which the Danish Club is
grateful.
“I would really like to extend
the offering in the Danish
Club so that we can provide
a proper “smørrebrødsseddel,”
an extensive list of open sandwiches,”
she says.
And this is what the Club
will be working on.
THE DANISH CLUB
DANISH CHRISTMAS BAZAAR 2008
No proper Christmas without the traditional Christmas Bazaar at the Danish YMCA in Hampstead!
l This has been the case for many
years - and will undoubtedly be the
case again this year when many hundreds
of Danes will once again turn up
at Maresfield Gardens to stock up on
Danish Christmas delicacies and decorations.
In fact, the bazaar has long
since established itself as a main event
in Anglo-Danish life in London as well
as a valuable source of revenue for the
YMCA’s work in the capital, including
the funding of its apartments for Danish
academics and others studying in
London.
Run by Committee member Palle
Baggesgård, the YMCA and the bazaar
deserve all the support they can
get and members and their families,
friends etc. are encouraged to come
along.
And for those who cannot wait until
Christmas for some classic Danish
fayre, there is an authentic Danish
hot-dog stand on hand.
The bazaar takes place on Saturday
29th November 12-17 and Sunday 30th
November 12-16, Entry £ 1
Danish YWCA
43 Maresfield Gardens
Hampstead - London NW3 5TF
new members
the club welcomes the following new members:
Victor Arwas
Gretha Arwas
Jakob Hansen
Ann Enghave Andersen
Giles Merlin
Lizettte Bang
Jesper Bang
Alan O Spink
David Eckhardt
Jan van Weijen
Christian P Mørch
Nick Toksvig
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 l NYT FRA DANMARK DANISH CLUB
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