RE-NAA restaurant in Stavanger is the first restaurant outside the capital of Oslo to receive 3 stars from the prestigious MICHELIN Guide Nordic. The shower of new stars to the energy capital Stavanger confirms its position as a culinary hub.

Sven Erik and Torill Renaa with their daughters Frøya and Ingrid upon arrival in Stavanger after the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries. (Photo: Pål Christensen/ Aftenbladet)

Stavanger confirms its position as a gastronomic hub

Sven Erik Renaa was rewarded for the hard work and dedication put into their restaurant over the last couple of years at the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries 2024. He was in Finland for the awards together with his wife and partner Torill Renaa and received a standing ovation from the audience for their 3rd star. RE-NAA is hereby the 2nd restaurant in Norway to achieve the highest recognition by the MICHELIN Guide, and the first Norwegian chef to achieve this, as Maaemo’s chef Esben Holmboe Bang is a Danish citizen despite his many years in Norway.

After this years’ Star Revelation Stavanger is finally a food destination

– Sven Erik Renaa

Sven Erik Renaa underline the importance of the MICHELIN stars. “The 3rd star confirms that our restaurant is a reason to go to Norway and Stavanger. We are finally there”, he confirms. “After this year’s Star Revelation Stavanger is finally a food destination.” (quote from Stavanger Aftenblad after the award ceremony) He continues by thanking the many local producers and suppliers. He emphasizes how the rolling green hills of Dalane, the fjords and the ocean, the rich-in-growth fields of Jæren and the mild climate of Ryfylke make the Stavanger region unique.

“We have a great bunch of suppliers and producers. They deliver amazing produce and are crucial for everything we do at the restaurant. I am so proud of our suppliers and they have a large part of the honour we have achieved. The local seafood is the most important for us, but we also have high-quality meat thanks to our skilled farmers along the coast.”

Hermetikken receiving a MICHELIN Star

A newcomer to the MICHELIN Star scene is the Stavanger wine bar Hermetikken, which received their 1st star in Helsingfors. Other restaurants in Stavanger with MICHELIN stars are K2 and Sabi Omakase, whereas Bellies, Tango, Bravo, Söl and Sabi Enso are mentioned in the MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries.

Silje Hanasand, Stuart John Barber, Knut Espen Misje and Mikela Tomine Johannessen from Hermetikken in Stavanger were invited to the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries and were awarded their 1st star. Photo: Merete Bø (Stavanger Aftenblad)

Food as a chosen career

Now, Sven Erik hopes that the sprinkling of stars to Stavanger will inspire young people to choose the kitchen as a potential working space and career. “If you enjoy working with your hands, being creative and pleasing others, a career as a chef is a unique opportunity. For us chefs, no days are the same.”

Stavanger host of the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries

Stavanger has strategically focused on food the last couple of decades, and the Stavanger Region Convention Bureau together with the city of Stavanger and Rogaland County, was awarded the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries event in 2021, but due to the pandemic the awards were streamed digitally that year, but repeated in Stavanger in a normal physical version with all the star awarded chefs present in 2022.

Host city Bocuse d’Or Europe 2028

Stavanger is also chosen as the Norwegian host city by Bocuse d’Or Norway for a Norwegian Bid for the Bocuse d’Or Europe 2028 and will continue to highlight food in global marketing moving forward.

Stavanger was the host of the MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries 2021 and MICHELIN Star Revelation Nordic Countries 2022.

Eat better in the culinary region Stavanger

Stavanger is fortunate enough to have talented chefs and food experts in abundance. More than a few national and international food enthusiasts point to Stavanger as the number one culinary region in Norway.

Book ahead if you fancy challenging your taste buds at one of these restaurants. Coincidentally, there are several other restaurants of world-class standards in the entire region.

https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/inspiration/eat-better-in-the-culinary-region-stavanger

Guide MICHELIN
– Annual guide to restaurants and hotels published by the French tyre producer Michelin.
– Anonymous inspectors evaluate the food and service at restaurants and award them with stars.
– 3 stars mean that the restaurant/hotel is worth being the reason to go, 2 stars that it’s worth a detour, 1 star that it’s worth a visit.
– MICHELIN Guide Scandinavia has been published since 2014.

These Stavanger restaurants are awarded stars or mentioned in the Michelin Guide
– Re-Naa – 3 stars
– K2 – 1 star and 1 Green star
– Sabi Omakase Stavanger – 1 star
– Hermetikken – 1 star
– Tango – mentioned
– Sabi Enso – mentioned
– Söl – mentioned
– Bellies – mentioned
– Bravo – mentioned

About The Author

Anette Larsen

See author's posts