AT THE TABLE WITH SOFIE WARNANTS

Nearly a decade ago, in an interview with New Heroes and Pioneers, food writer Anna Berghe described Malmö’s culinary scene as having these three things: “simplicity, heart, and soul.”

Speaking to Sofie Warnants of Solidar, it strikes us that the same holds true today.

This laid-back yet forward-thinking Swedish city flourishes with everything from fine dining spots to falafel stands, and over in the quiet coastal district of Limhamn, Solidar is one such treasure that embodies that same ethos.

At the helm is head chef Sofie, whose craft is rooted in “food that is honest and good,” as she aptly puts it. Her cooking reflects a unique journey: a background in architecture, rich culinary experience from Belgium, Stockholm, and New York, and now a life in Malmö, where she balances running the kitchen at Solidar with raising her two young children – and chickens – and living among the pine forests.

Solidar takes its name from Solidarbutiken, a functionalist-style grocery store that occupied the premises back in the 1930s, making it a fitting setting to celebrate a recipe centred on fresh produce – Roasted Badger Flame Beetroot with nasturtium flowers from the garden and a handful of seasonal herbs. A dish she describes as “aromatic and full of contrasts”.

For our latest Off The Pass, Sofie walks us through her recipe and her story.

Let’s start at the beginning. What first drew you to cooking, and how did that lead you to Solidar?

Growing up, I cooked a lot with my grandmothers and my mother. We had big family feasts on both sides of my family, and I went to restaurants from a young age – on holidays in France or Italy. 

I studied architecture and worked a little bit as an architect, but I really just wanted to cook. I moved abroad to make that change. First to Stockholm when I was around 27, where I opened a lunch restaurant with friends. Then I moved to New York and worked in a food truck for two years which was fun.

I moved back to Belgium and went to culinary school about a decade ago. After that, I worked in some good restaurants, like In de Wulf in Belgium and Fäviken in Sweden, but I decided Michelin and fine dining wasn’t so much my thing. I was head chef of a small fish restaurant in Belgium for six years, then moved back to Malmö, where I ran another restaurant for two years – and now I’m here at Solidar.

Coming from a background in architecture, how do you see that connecting with the way you cook today?

Architecture trained me to think creatively and cohesively, which helps when I’m puzzling out a menu or building a vision for the restaurant. But it also taught me the importance of knowing when to stop. In architecture, I saw how excess could overwhelm good design. In food, it’s the same: sometimes restraint is what makes a dish sing.

How would you describe your style as a chef?

I’m drawn to simplicity. Clear, distinct flavours where each element can be tasted. My cooking is rooted in Western European traditions, especially French, because of my Belgian background. That shows up not just in the techniques but in how I build menus: always a salad, plenty of vegetables alongside meat, fruit- and dairy-based desserts.

I also try to cook in a way that balances with life. I have two small children, and I see the restaurant as a job, not an all-consuming passion. That means sourcing really well – beautiful bread from a baker, charcuterie from a brilliant producer – instead of making everything in-house. It’s about letting go of ego, being practical, and still creating food that’s honest and good.

What’s inspiring you at the moment – a scent, an ingredient, a season, a song, a scene?

Right now, inspiration comes from trying to find balance between where I come from and where I am. I’m Belgian, living in Sweden, but I cook in a French-Italian style. Those overlapping layers of identity and influence have been on my mind a lot, especially as we shape the identity of a new restaurant. On a simpler level, I’ve been looking back to my Belgian roots and childhood dishes – the flavours that first made me love food.

Can you recall a meal you’ll never forget?

Sole meunière. Dover sole with fries. Pan-fried, lightly dusted with flour, with a green salad. In Belgium, whenever I felt sad or wanted to treat myself, that’s what I’d order. You could serve me a Dover sole anytime.

How would you describe the culinary scene in Malmö, and how does it differ from other places you’ve lived?

Malmö has a strong working-class history. It’s an industrial, harbour city with deep roots, and you can still feel that in the food culture. Lunches are great value, always good quality, with fresh vegetables, fish, salads, bread, potatoes. Even casual places take care with balance and quality.

Malmö is affordable, so it’s a fertile place to start something new. You’ve got institutions like Ruths, spots like Soi29 doing Thai food with local produce, and plenty of possibilities for more.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I start with time for my kids, then carve out an hour or two of head space – planning menus, speaking with suppliers, thinking things through. I live by the beach in a pine forest, which helps me separate home and work. I even keep hens there!

At the restaurant, we build the day step by step towards opening at four. I may be a mother, but I’m not a morning person, so the rhythm suits me. After service, it’s usually a quiet glass of wine, then back to the forest. On weekends, I keep it simple: the beach, a fish restaurant, a walk in the woods.

What are you enjoying cooking in your spare time? Is there a dish you’re drawn to right now?

I was gifted an extremely fancy ice cream maker for my 40th birthday, so I have been tinkering a lot with different batches of ice creams and fruit sorbets. And also, pasta, always pasta! With a little bit of help from Rachel Roddy.