Casper Sundin Enjoys Geeking Out Over the Details
As a dessert chef and self-proclaimed chocolate nerd, Casper Sundin is accustomed to working and geeking out over the details. He trained as a chef at Formel B and also apprenticed at Søllerød Kro.
However, it has long been the sweet kitchen that has primarily captured Casper Sundin’s interest.
“The sweet kitchen is such a vast world with so many different ingredients to work with. Moreover, you really need to know something about what you’re handling before it makes sense. You can’t just make a dessert haphazardly,” he says.
It was Daniel Kruse at Søllerød Kro who helped open Casper Sundin’s eyes to the sweet kitchen. What also attracted him was that there aren’t many dessert chefs in Denmark.
“You are a bit different. Being a dessert chef is not so common. In fact, it was always said that if you were a dessert chef, you were a sugarprick. It wasn’t meant positively, but in my opinion, it just means that you’re doing something others would like to be able to do when it has such a nickname. I like that,” he says.
Casper Sundin likes to think creatively and geek out over the details, and there’s plenty of opportunity for that in the sweet kitchen.
“When asked, I probably present myself as very feminine in my expression. I like things to be either very simple to look at or covered in craftsmanship, chocolate decorations, herbs, and so on,” he says.
Learning is another thing he enjoys, which is why he spends a lot of money on dessert books and a lot of time researching other ways of doing things.
“I’m interested in knowledge, and I’m especially interested in people who do things differently than I do. I really want to soak up knowledge, and I think the knowledge part is a big part of being a chef. You can learn a lot by watching others work,” he says.
Today, Casper Sundin works as Head of Innovation at Ingwersen A/S. Here, he gets the opportunity to geek out over ingredients, food, and desserts, and he gets to share all he knows through cooking courses, among other things.
“I really get to combine everything I love. I get to share my knowledge with others, and I really enjoy that,” he says.
We Ask – Casper Answers
We asked Casper Sundin a series of questions so you can get to know who he is. Find out, among other things, what Casper thinks makes chocolate so delightful and which kitchen machine he has a strained relationship with.
Education?
I am a trained chef. During my apprenticeship, I spent two years at Søllerød Kro and then two years at Formel B, so I am essentially trained from Formel B.
Why did you become a chef?
I’ve always been interested in food. I remember in home economics class, I would write down the recipes from the lessons in my own notebooks and create beautiful folders and books with recipes. So the interest in food has probably always been there.
I had a period in high school—which I didn’t finish—where I worked as a dishwasher. That also helped open my eyes. I think most chefs have been dishwashers at some point and then you get caught up in the environment.
Why did you choose to specialize in cake and chocolate?
The sweet kitchen allows you to geek out over things and really delve into the details.
For me, it’s important to understand why things react the way they do. In the sweet kitchen, it’s important to know what you’re doing and what activates the different elements. You need to know that when tempering chocolate, things need to be at certain temperatures. You also can’t just make a mousse haphazardly. You have to follow specific processes. That appeals to me.
How has your path been to what you do today?
When I was an apprentice chef, I didn’t know which direction I wanted to go in—or perhaps I didn’t know you could go in a specific direction. I apprenticed under Daniel Kruse at Søllerød Kro. We got along well, and he was my teacher and my mentor. He was one of those who opened my eyes to the dessert universe. Through him, I could see that it was challenging in a different way. That there was a technical aspect that I liked. So it was the dessert path I took, and I have worked as a dessert chef for many years.
After starting a family, I found other ways to combine making high-level food with having a family. I think I’ve landed in a really good place with Ingwersen A/S (fruit and vegetable supplier, ed.), where I get to make food and desserts, cakes, and all sorts of other things. I’ve gotten my own kitchen and can geek out over chocolate, vanilla, and fruit like never before.
I’ve also had the opportunity to hold courses, and being able to share my knowledge means a lot to me. I love sharing and passing on knowledge. Even back at Søllerød Kro, it was something that influenced me, and I think it has always been a dream to do what I’m doing today on my own.
What is your best memory from the kitchen?
After graduating from Formel B and Søllerød Kro, I was away for a few years. Then I returned to Søllerød Kro where I became the dessert chef under Brian Mark Hansen. It was a big deal for me to come back and have learned things that made me deserve that position. It’s probably one of the things I’m most proud of achieving.
Søllerød Kro means a lot to me. I have spent many years of my life there, and I will always come back and maintain a good relationship. There are good, competent people working there. Therefore, it was special to get the position as dessert chef.
Which dish do you most enjoy making?
I love making pasta at home!
There is a really good chef, David Fischer, who is amazing at making Italian dishes and especially pasta. I’ve watched him closely. I haven’t learned to be as good, but my girlfriend and my two kids really enjoy it when I make pasta.
What’s your show-off dish in the sweet kitchen?
Various filled chocolates.
Which dish do you make most often in your own kitchen?
Pasta. It varies a lot what we have with it, from ravioli filled with spinach to some sort of meat sauce.
Cacio e pepe is probably what I make the most. I’ve eaten at David Fischer’s a few times, and his cacio e pepe is simply a gift to eat. So, I try my best to humbly replicate that dish.
Do you have a favorite cuisine?
I find it hard to define a specific cuisine. I really like using wild herbs. It’s a big part of my daily life. We have a wall at home where herbs hang. We spent all of last year picking them, drying them between books, and then hanging them in frames.
I like using the nature around us and want to eat things that come from nature—based on herbs.
I enjoy eating fish and cabbage that come from Denmark. Especially if you can find a roadside stand where you can buy vegetables. I love that.
What’s your favorite dish?
Cacio e pepe. It’s something I’m really, really fond of, especially if it’s made by David Fischer.
What’s your favorite cake?
I think cakes can do many things, so for me, it’s very mood-dependent. I don’t have one cake that I think is the best. I also consider the atmosphere and who I’m with when I eat the cake. It also matters that the cake is made properly and with the right ingredients.
For example, I think a gateau marcel has something special, as it has both depth, sweetness, and bitterness. I also think a lemon tart offers a lot; the combination of sour, crispy, chewy, and sweet.
What are your favorite ingredients?
Bergamot, sweet woodruff, and chocolate.
Bergamot is a citrus fruit. I find it very aromatic and nicely balanced. It has character but is mild. It has bitterness, freshness, acidity, and sweetness. It can do almost everything.
Sweet woodruff is very floral in its scent and taste, and I actually use it for most things. You can dry it or use it for extracts for things like ice cream, sauces, jellies, and creams. It brings thoughts of marzipan and almonds.
I just find chocolate interesting—both to work with and talk about.
Things you always have in the fridge?
I always have lemon, lime, thyme, shallots, garlic, and butter.
I always have frozen berries in the freezer because I like to make jams. I like that we at home taste things beyond the usual. I don’t just buy strawberry jam at the supermarket. I prefer to make it myself with strawberries we’ve picked and frozen. I might add long pepper or something fun. So, I also challenge my two girls a bit. I think it benefits them in the long run.
Additionally, I almost always have another type of citrus fruit, like an orange, in the fridge.
Do you have a favorite restaurant?
Søllerød Kro. I think you get fantastic food. Additionally, there’s both good service and a great atmosphere.
My time there has meant a lot to me, so Søllerød Kro will always be a special place for me.
What kitchen machines or equipment are your favorites?
A spatula, whisk, hand blender, grater, and pot.
Which machine do you have a strained relationship with?
Poor ice cream machines. I think if you get an ice cream machine, you should spend the money it costs to get quality. It’s crucial for making ice creams and sorbets that taste good and have good textures.
It’s common to go to a random store and buy an ice cream machine for 800 kroner, and then it’s completely useless. I’d like to advocate for buying quality instead.
Facts
Name: Casper Sundin
Region: Zealand
Job: Head of Innovation at Ingwersen A/S. Previously worked at Formel B, Kadeau, Søllerød Kro, hotel Nordlandet, and restaurant Niels.
Follow Casper Sundin on Instagram at @caspersundin.
Photo: Søren Gammelmark