A Michelin-starred chef renowned for his work as only the third head chef in the history of Kong Hans Kælder in Copenhagen, he is also becoming well known as Denmark’s number one ambassador for the paleo or Stone Age diet: High in protein and vegetables and minus everything that has anything to do with sugar, bread, pasta, rice and many other grains. Andersen is a man on a mission to change the way we eat.

 

CPH Post: So you are the meat guy?

I get that a lot. Meat is part of the paleo diet, for sure, but I think people would be very surprised at just how little meat I eat. There are plenty of other foods, including vegetables, which are packed with protein.

 

How did you get into this whole paleo deal?

Just after I met my wife − who is 14 years younger than me − I was looking for a way to get in better shape and be more healthy. A friend told me about the paleo diet, and it just made sense: eating the way our bodies were designed to eat instead of filling ourselves with processed food and industrial poisons. 

 

Your book about the diet has been a huge success in Danish. Any plans to release it in English?

We are looking for someone to do that right now. We have had a few offers, but we want to do it right. We have sold around 40,000 copies in Denmark. People are beginning to understand that this is not a fad diet − this is a lifestyle based on how we are designed to eat.

 

The Michelin awards are due out soon. Are those stars important to Kong Hans Kælder?

They are very important, especially to tourists and visitors looking to try out our restaurant à la carte. It helps lead them our way.

 

Okay, you say that there is more to paleo than meat, but the cover of your book shows you with a huge leg of some dead animal on your shoulder, so what’s your take on this whole horse meat scandal?

I think anything that makes people think twice about what they are buying and putting into their bodies is a good thing.