Håkon Solbakk

The Climb

Speilsalen, Britannia Hotel in Trondheim, Norway (2019–2023) gave Håkon Solbakk a long run at the pass, where a Head Chef’s work is as much about consistency as it is about direction. The value in that tenure is practical: the room, the brigade, and the place itself become part of the same working language. Since 2023, he has held the Executive Head Chef role at Speilsalen, Britannia Hotel, moving into top leadership with an established read on the house.

Today

“I am very proud and honored to be asked to be the top leader in Speilsalen; after having been Head Chef for four years now, I feel ready.” In plain terms, the statement reads like a chef describing earned responsibility rather than a new beginning. The emphasis is on readiness, continuity, and the familiarity with a kitchen that only time can supply.

Career - Executive Head Chef, Speilsalen, Britannia Hotel, Trondheim, Norway (2023–present) - Head Chef, Speilsalen, Britannia Hotel, Trondheim, Norway (2019–2023)

Signature

Speilsalen Tasting Menu is the named signature attached to Håkon Solbakk. As a format, a tasting menu asks for control over pacing, sequence, and balance, and in this case it sits within a polished hotel restaurant context where precision matters as much as restraint. The title signals a menu built to carry those demands without losing room for individual expression.

In Their Words “I like to play with established flavor profiles, test out new techniques, compositions and ingredients, and unite tradition with modern impulses in an elegant and playful way.” “The cornerstone of my food philosophy is Good Norwegian ingredients and classic flavors served with artistry and precision, without becoming pretentious.” Read together, the lines point to a cook working from structure, not novelty for its own sake. Good Norwegian ingredients and classic flavors form the base; technique, composition, and modern impulses are folded in with control. The result is meant to stay elegant, but not inflated.

Recognition

Nordic Chef of the Year (2022) and Årets Kokk 2021 runner-up / second place Taken together, they mark a chef whose work has been noted beyond his own dining room, and they place added emphasis on the weight of his current role at Speilsalen, where recognition has followed sustained performance.

FAQ What is Håkon Solbakk's current role? Håkon Solbakk is Executive Head Chef. Where did Håkon Solbakk work before? Earlier in their career, Håkon Solbakk worked at Speilsalen, Britannia Hotel. What recognition has Håkon Solbakk received? Nordic Chef of the Year (2022).