At Amass Restaurant in Copenhagen, chef Matt Orlando is taking sustainability to the extreme with a zero-waste approach to fine dining.
Following his work at Noma as a sous chef and later chef de cuisine, Orlando opened Amass in 2013 in a former shipyard building.
The industrial space features tall ceilings, colorful murals, modern furniture, and an open kitchen.
Note: Amass permanently closed in November 2022.
The minimalist aesthetic of the Copenhagen restaurant complements his approach to cooking.
Sustainability practices at Amass include:
- 90 to 100% organic foods and drinks.
- 95% of the produce is sourced from Danish providers.
- Meats acquired from providers practicing ethical butchery.
- Food waste is minimized by finding creative ways to use everything.
- Compositing what can't be cooked.
- Giving fats and oils to a local company for use in biofuel.
- Unused water is boiled for washing floors and watering the on-site garden.
- Tracking and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Entering the restaurant requires walking up an exterior metal staircase and passing through a short hall before arriving at the main dining room below.
The passage allows for a more dramatic entry into Orlando's world. Seeing the space for the first time, I was reminded of my hometown of Austin, Texas.
It was exactly 6 p.m. when I arrived, as I wanted to dine early while natural light was still available.
I was seated facing the open kitchen, with my back toward one of the large windows looking out over the Amass Restaurant garden.
Amass offers two tasting menu options, and I opted for the larger one as it was the last night of my trip to Scandinavia.
My favorite dishes were the mackerel and hedgehog mushrooms. I'd put the overall dining experience on par with my dinner at Relae a few nights earlier.
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At the end of the meal, I asked if there was an Amass Restaurant menu I could take home, and they were kind enough to print one for me as a souvenir.
