Restaurant Knut – An example of a solid and well-maintained brand – can provide ideas...

Here in Stockholm, there is a restaurant Knut that serves as a good and educational example. It is called Knut and is located at Regeringsgatan 77 (2016). The owner and founder is Martin Sjölander. He started his first restaurant on Upplandsgatan in 2013. This was fortunate, as it allowed him to establish himself and get the business up and running before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

The restaurant's focus:

Knut serves northern Swedish cuisine with one foot in the wilderness and the other in civilization. Both inspiration and ingredients come from his roots in northern Sweden.

Here is an interview with Martin... 

Why did you start the restaurant?

Many chefs, like me, want to start their own restaurant, was the answer.

What did you do before?

I was born and raised in Timrå in northern Sweden. I wanted to see the world, so I travelled around. I got into the cooking profession. I became more and more eager to start my own restaurant. Preferably abroad. Preferably in Swedish style, as it is perceived as exotic in many places around the world. That didn't happen. Instead, I chose to start from my northern Swedish roots.

Did you have very conscious ideas and designs for your brand?

Yes. The restaurant's interior design comes from my home region. I have someone there who keeps me in mind when she sees something suitable. Through her, we buy dilapidated barns, which we demolish and use as material for our interior design. The restaurant is called Knut, after my maternal grandfather.

Staff are always important for a brand, so I'm curious to know how you recruit and develop your staff?

In the beginning, we weren't very careful about our recruitment. But for several years now, we have been. We pay attention to whether motivation comes from outside or inside. In addition, we decide more quickly whether someone is good for us or should leave. In the beginning, when we weren't so well known, it wasn't always easy to find candidates. Today we are well known, so it's easier. Chefs can be hard to find, so I started a small "chef school" for those among the staff who were interested and seemed suitable.

How do you manage the business?

Today, we have several ambassadors among the staff, which makes it easier for me. During the pandemic, I removed all managers and placed more responsibility on the staff. This was appreciated and increased commitment. The restaurant industry is generally quite authoritarian. I had that style myself in the beginning, because I had learned it from other managers... In Sweden, an authoritarian style is also very ill-suited.

Cooking good food is one thing, but running a business is something else? How did you learn that?

When I came back to Sweden, I took on some simpler jobs. Unfortunately, I had a motorcycle accident, so I couldn’t work fulltiem for three years. Mostly because I had problems getting my foot back in shape. Once I got my health back on track, I got a job in finance. That was good. While doing that job, I worked on my business plan. It's important to be prepared when you start your own business. I even received praise for my business plan from an advisor.

Below are some pictures to show the impact of the brand. NOTE! There is another general article here on the blog about trademarks.

If you live in or are visiting Stockholm, be sure to experience Restaurant Knut...