Emma Bengtsson is a Swedish

chef A chef is a professional Cook (profession), cook and tradesperson who is proficient in all aspects of outline of food preparation, food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the di ...

who holds two

Michelin stars The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic ...

at the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

based restaurant Aquavit. She is the first female Swedish chef to win two stars.

Career

Emma Bengtsson was born on August 27, 1981, in

Falkenberg Falkenberg is a locality and the seat of Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 27,813 inhabitants in 2019 (out of a municipal total of about 45,000). It is located at the mouth of river Ätran. The name consists of the Swedish ...

Halland County Halland County (, ) is a county ('' län'') on the western coast of Sweden. It corresponds roughly to the cultural and historical province of Halland. The capital is Halmstad. Prince Julian, the son of Prince Carl Philip, is Duke of Halland. ...

in western Sweden. She originally wanted to be a

fighter pilot A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a Military aviation, military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, Air-to-ground weaponry, air-to-ground combat and sometimes Electronic-warfare aircraft, electronic warfare while in the cockpit of ...

, and in preparation for a military career, would go to

shooting range A shooting range, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, venue, or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice, or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by milita ...

s with her father. Bengtsson was inspired to cook by her grandmother, and went on to study at the International Restaurant School in Stockholm. She interned at

Edsbacka Krog Edsbacka krog ("Edsbacka inn") is a restaurant on the banks of the Edsviken in Sollentuna, Sweden, just north of Stockholm. It closed in February 2010, and was then one of two Swedish restaurants with two stars in the Michelin Guide.Skjervold, To ...

, the only restaurant at the time in Sweden to hold two

. She discovered that she enjoyed working as a

pastry chef A pastry chef or pâtissier (; feminine pâtissière, ) is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, breads and other baked goods. They are employed in large hotels, bistros, restaurants, bakeries, b ...

, and after graduating she continued to work at Edsbacka Krog for four years. She then moved to restaurant Operakällaren within the

Royal Swedish Opera Royal Swedish Opera () is an opera and ballet company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Location and environment The building is located in the centre of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, in the borough of Norrmalm (borough), Norrmalm, on the eastern si ...

once again as a pastry chef for the following five years. Bengtsson was then recruited as a pastry chef by Aquavit restaurant in

under

executive chef A chef de cuisine (, French language, French for ''head of kitchen'') or head chef is a chef that Supervisor, leads a kitchen and its cooks. A chef patron (feminine form ''chef patronne'') (French for ''boss chef'') or executive chef is a chef ...

Marcus Jernmark. During her time there, Aquavit won a Michelin star under Jernmark, but when he left, Bengtsson was offered his position. This wasn't something Bengtsson had sought, as she had only intended to help out the kitchen while a new executive chef was recruited. Under Bengtsson, the restaurant gained a second star, making her the first Swedish woman to hold two Michelin stars, and only the second in the United States after

Dominique Crenn Dominique Crenn (born 7 April 1965) is a French chef. , she was the only female chef in the United States to attain three Michelin stars, for her restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. Crenn has been featured in several Food Network and other ...

. In 2016, under Bengtsson, Aquavit opened a second restaurant, in London. This one differed from the New York establishment as it was significantly larger and so the dishes are less complicated to allow the kitchen to cope with the number of diners. She has discussed with Crenn the lack of other female chefs with multiple Michelin stars, and said that "we're fed up with it. It's cooking for god's sake. I can't figure it out. I think women in general don't pay as much attention in getting to the top". When chef Henrik Ritzén, who is working as head chef at Aquavit London under Bengtsson, suggested that men work harder in a kitchen to impress female chefs, she responded "Yeah but the women, they don’t give a shit. They just do their work, they don’t need to impress. It’s funny." She doesn't like a macho culture in her kitchens, and instead prefers to it be a quiet place where everyone treats each other like family, no one shouts and no one swears.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bengtsson, Emma Living people 1981 births People from Falkenberg Women chefs Swedish chefs Head chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants