i. Biography
The craft arc here is built on accumulation: school training first, then station work, then pastry discipline, then kitchen leadership, then a move into a Croatian kitchen where Scandinavian precision is applied to local ingredients. Aleksander Aurstad Olsen’s path does not read as a leap from one headline role to the next; it reads as a working progression, with each posting adding another layer of control, pace, and technical range.
The Climb
Training at Ladejarlen videregående skole gave Aleksander Aurstad Olsen the base that later supported work in some of Europe’s more demanding kitchens. The early sequence matters: chef at Hanami in Oslo until 2016, then Hoja Santa in Barcelona from 2016. That kind of movement points to a cook shaped by environments where standards are visible, service is demanding, and technique has to hold up in real time. Pastry sharpened further. As Head Pastry Chef at Restaurant À L’aise in Oslo, and later Pastry Chef at The Fat Duck near London, Aleksander Aurstad Olsen worked in roles where control, timing, and finish are central to the job. Pastry leaves little room for drift; those postings suggest a chef formed by exacting process, where structure is not decoration but the basis of the work. Broader kitchen responsibility came next with køkkensjef at Fagn in Trondheim until 2022. After that, another international move followed, to Restaurant Jordnær in Copenhagen from 2022. The current role at Fakin in Legrad continues the same line: a chef moving through kitchens where rigor is expected, and where each change of city also means a new context for the same technical discipline.
Today
At Fakin in Legrad, the kitchen is led by Aleksander Aurstad Olsen as Executive Chef, with Modern Croatian and Central European cooking framed by a Scandinavian-trained approach. The stated identity of the work rests on local Croatian ingredients handled with precision, so the food is defined less by showmanship than by order, restraint, and clarity of execution. That balance matters in the way the kitchen is described: local produce is not treated as a backdrop, but as the center of the plate, shaped by a method built through years of movement across different restaurant cultures. In that sense, the craft is straightforward: apply discipline without flattening place. He has also said: "I think this will be my last stint abroad before I come home to Trondheim again."
In Their Words “As a chef, I will get much greater responsibility than just being a stagiaire, and I expect to develop a lot as a chef during the period with the Adrià brothers.” “I think this will be my last stint abroad before I come home to Trondheim again.”
Recognition
Aleksander's honors include Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024).
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Aleksander
What is Aleksander Aurstad Olsen's current role?
As of 2026, Aleksander Aurstad Olsen is Executive Chef.
Where did Aleksander Aurstad Olsen train or study?
Aleksander Aurstad Olsen trained at Ladejarlen videregående skole.
What recognition has Aleksander Aurstad Olsen received?
Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024).
