Cod, mackerel, and herring are so prevalent in Denmark that, over the centuries, they have become common fare. Since the 19thcentury, working class folks (and nearly everyone else today) have lunched on smørrebrød, or buttered rye bread, often layered with these fish—either pickled or smoked.

These ordinary fish are what many local fishermen even call “trash fish.” Until recently, they were certainly not what Danes go for when they’re thinking gourmet.

“We had a wild night here. Set a record in the takings,” exclaims Aaron Kaczmark, Fiskebar’s sous chef, late one Friday night after closing. After six years of success, Fiskebar is still making waves.

Since the birth of New Nordic Cuisine—thanks to René Redzepi, the chef who put Denmark on the world food map