It was a memorable evening at Raen – The Chef’s Studio, The Leela Hyderabad, where guests gathered for a Nordic culinary adventure curated by Chef Andrea Selvaggini. Each dish, plated with love and creativity, told a story and every bite was a testament to the chef’s artistry. Having flown in from Norway for a special two-day pop-up, Selvaggini impressed diners with an experience unlike any other. CE caught up with the Michelin-starred chef to learn more about his journey, his food philosophy, and the inspiration behind the pop-up menu.
Excerpts
Tell us about your passion for food.
It actually started with my grandmother. She was a very good cook and always fascinated me with how she made everything from scratch. Honestly, I’ve always loved eating, and by the time I was 14, I decided I wanted to do this as a career. My family didn’t initially agree, so I continued with school, but I realised cooking was what I truly loved. I enrolled in a culinary school, and my plan was to travel the world. I started in fine dining and worked at a few restaurants in France, though I wasn’t entirely happy there. Later, I decided to focus on the cuisines I love most — French classic, Spanish, Latin American, Nordic, and Malaysian. I worked in Spain and then got the opportunity to move to Norway. Each time I thought of leaving, something new would come up, and eventually, I decided to open my own restaurant — Savage, a Michelin-starred space in Oslo.
Tell us about the food that was served at the pop-up.
It was an eight- to nine-course menu, a mix of dishes from our Oslo menu inspired by the shapes and landscapes of nature. We tried to narrate different Norwegian landscapes through our plating — like the zucchini flower or pasta. Some dishes were created exclusively for the guests here. We’re also talking to Conosh about possibly doing another pop-up. I love using local ingredients, although I wasn’t sure about the season here — it turned out to be rainy, so we adapted and combined local produce with our flavours. I enjoy using spices and tried to incorporate chilli wherever I could, though I was a little unsure if guests would like it. Next time, I’ll definitely add more spice. I was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of local ingredients — it was excellent, and the team here fed me a lot!
Have you sourced your ingredients from Oslo?
Yes, about 60–70% of the ingredients came from Norway because I wanted guests to experience something truly authentic. But we sourced meat and fish locally.
Did you try to give your food an Indian twist?
I used some spices in the recipes, but I’d love to explore this further next time. I noticed a lot of similarities in flavours. There are dishes here, like potato rice, that I really enjoyed and would like to experiment with. I also love learning about local culture and what people like — next time, I’ll come better prepared.
What is one of your signature dishes on the menu?
This time, I didn’t bring my signature dish, but I did bring truffle ice cream and our lentil pasta, which is a signature dish this year. We also included donuts. The menu here featured some of our classics, while our full menu back home has about 20 courses.
You had a different version of a donut on the menu. Can you talk about it?
Donuts have always been one of my guilty pleasures since I was a kid, and I’m a little obsessed with their shape and texture. For this version, I combined the traditional donut technique with cheese and starch to surprise guests. We create a lot of playful dishes like that — for example, something that looks like a cloud but is completely soft when you eat it, or pasta that looks like a leaf. We love playing with appearances and textures — that’s part of our creative mindset.
You used a lot of mushrooms and zucchini. Is there a reason behind that?
Yes, it’s because this is mushroom and zucchini season in Norway. We’re always excited about these ingredients, so we created two to three dishes around them. When I spoke to the team here, they mentioned that the mushrooms in India are excellent too, so I decided to include them and create vegetarian options. Next time, I’d love to design even more vegetarian dishes.
Did you change any of the dishes you served for guests here?
Yes, the zucchini flower dish was adapted. It’s usually made with beef, but here we made it with potato, caramelised onion, and zucchini filling.
This was your first time in Hyderabad. How was your experience?
I’ve really enjoyed it. I visited a few cocktail bars, which were amazing — I’m a big fan of mixology competitions, so that was fun. The food scene here is fantastic too. I tried biryani and went to a few brunch places. I definitely ate a lot and loved every bit of it!
Will you come back to Hyderabad?
Yes, I hope so. I’ve been told that next time the pop-up might be in Bengaluru, and I’d love to explore more of India. Right now, it’s a busy season at our restaurant, and I’ll also be travelling to Milan and Dubai, but I’d love to return.
What does food mean to you?
For me, food is everything. It’s been my life — my obsession — until my daughter and wife came along. Food is part of my everyday life, and I always strive to make it contemporary, creative, and meaningful.