Latest news with #Epicurus
Forbes
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
At Copenhagen's New Epicurus, Fine Dining Meets Subterranean Jazz
A rendering of the jazz club It wasn't the legendary jazz clubs of New York, Chicago or New Orleans that inspired Epicurus—an audacious new fine dining and subterranean jazz club hybrid in Copenhagen—so much as those in Tokyo. The Japanese version, says Niels Lan Doky, a partner in the Danish venture, combines the improvisational music with a rigorous attention to aesthetic detail. Doky knows what he's talking about. He's one of the most esteemed jazz pianists of his generation, having performed on stages from Carnegie Hall to the Royal Albert Hall and collaborated with legends such as Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker. He's also proudly knowledgeable about the deep history of jazz in Copenhagen, especially in the 1950s and '60s. That's when American legends like Louis Armstrong, Stan Getz and Dexter Gorden decamped to Denmark and give the capital one of the most flourishing jazz scenes in the world. Doky, who was knighted by HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark for his musical contributions, is the musical director of Epicurus, which opened in April. He often takes the stage himself, and he plans to continue doing so, behind the brand-new, state-of-the-art Bösendorfer 230 Vienna Concert piano that he picked out himself from the instrument maker's factory in Austria. But it's never about him. Nor is it only about any other artist who takes the stage. Niels Lan Doky at the piano As musical director, Doky likens his approach to that of a director of a classical or opera venue, who would devote a season or cycle to Bach, say, or Verdi or Wagner. The performers are world-class, but the repertoire is what Epicurus is selling. The residencies last a few weeks, long enough for word of mouth to spread. Last month, Camille Sledge paid delightful tribute to Aretha Franklin. Word spread—she had a room full of otherwise restrained Danes dancing in the aisles by the end of at least one evening. Or as Doky puts it, 'Everything I've ever done in my career as a musician has always been to try to bridge the gap between, what shall we call it, deep artistic substance and accessibility—a broad appeal.' The other things that Epicurus is selling are equally substantive and appealing. The subterranean concert hall has superb sound and aesthetics—the work of the Italian-Danish duo GramFratesi, who drew inspiration from Epicurean philosophy, ancient Greece and the history of artistic expression through the ages—and it's arranged with great precision and attention to detail. The spacing between the café tables is just so, the plush chairs are comfortable, and the lighting is perfect. The jazz club before a performance The drinks are likewise well thought out. The price of admission buys seats for the concert and a flight of drinks—sparkling wine followed by a choice of wines, cocktails or non-alcoholic concoctions. The bar is curated by Epicurus partner Rasmus Shepherd-Longberg, one of Denmark's foremost cocktail entrepreneurs (owner of Ruby, which has been among the World's 50 Best Bars six times), and Michael Hajiyianni, the former head bartender of the famously creative restaurant Alchemist. An original painting by Miles Davis—the only one on display on Danish soil—hangs at the entrance to the combined Epicurus space, a welcome beacon for downstairs concertgoers, upstairs diners and the fullest 'Epicureans,' who buy the combined tickets for the culinary pleasures followed by the musical ones below. During his comeback in 1981, Davis gave the painting to Bill Evans, who has now loaned it to his longtime collaborator Doky as a gesture of friendship and faith in the Epicurus vision. He has reason for that faith: Epicurus's other partners are Lars Seier Christensen, the Danish entrepreneur and investor behind the country's first Michelin three-star restaurant, Geranium (as well as the two-star Alchemist), and Mads Bøttger, the owner of Dragsholm Castle and its one-star restaurant. They clearly know how to nurture fine dining talent, and they know how to stand out in a city that's awash in creative dining. Scallops with kale, watermelon radishes and caviar And here they know how to make the meal one pillar of a harmonious, well-balanced evening out. While it's a truism that elite gastronomy has become its become its own kind of theater, with dinners running to 30 elaborate courses and stretching five or six hours, the restaurant portion of Epicurus isn't that. The menu, which was devised by head chef Oliver Bergholt, a veteran of other popular projects around town, is a compact six courses. It can be completed in less than two hours. (There's also an à la carte menu for guests who only want to dine.) There's minimal theatricality, but plenty of quality and pleasure. There are also some parallels with jazz music, like collaboration, harmonization and improvisation around seasonal ingredients. The dishes change, of course, but they include the likes of smoked salmon trout wrapped in shiso leaves; lightly seared scallops with curly kale, watermelon radishes and a dollop of caviar; grilled venison with parsnips and green asparagus; and a summer salad with whitefish roe and 'grandma dressing.' Servers explain this last ingredient to their foreign guests: It's a classic comfort food that nearly everyone in Copenhagen seems to have grown up with, a mixture of lemon, sugar, vinegar, cream and dill. It's humble but high quality, and here it's a reminder. Even with all its Japanese, American and otherwise global influences, Epicurus retains a distinctively Scandinavian soul.
Toronto Star
06-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Toronto Star
A Good Life: Is it ethical to pay artists, and local kids, in cash to avoid taxes?
What is A Good Life? Plato said it requires virtue. Epicurus said the trick is never talking politics. Nietzsche said if you're striving for happiness, you're losing. To the Star, A Good Life is our new advice column in which our philosophical advisors help you navigate everyday dilemmas about romance, career and how best to spend your fleeting time on earth, guiding you out of the existential muck, toward A Good Life. When people sell paintings, they seller gets the money, not the person who painted the work — so the proceeds of the sale of, for example, Lawren Harris's 'Mountain Forms' which sold in 2016 for $11,210,000, would go to the seller; not to Harris's estate. That seems wrong, particularly when we talk all the time about how we 'steal' the work of writers or musicians. I mean, once their work is sold, it's sold, right? What do you think?
Spectator
28-05-2025
- General
- Spectator
Spinoza, Epicurus and the question of ‘epikoros'
With surprise, I heard from a Jewish friend that a Hebrew term for a heretic is epikoros, apparently derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 bc). The word cropped up recently in a row over a film on the life of Baruch Spinoza, showing that he is not forgiven more than 360 years after his expulsion from the Sephardic community in Amsterdam. An American professor of philosophy, Yitzhak Melamed, asked the Portuguese Jewish synagogue there for permission to film some footage. The rabbi pointed out that Spinoza had been excommunicated 'with the severest possible ban, a ban that remains in force for all time'. So, no he could not visit the synagogue. The rabbi's letter called Spinoza an epikouris, a form of the word used of him in the 17th century. The reason for Spinoza's excommunication (herem in Hebrew) is unknown. Spinoza did write difficult stuff later about all things being God, but not when he was cast out in 1656, aged 23. Anyway, 12th-century Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides discussed the nature of an epikoros as someone who denies God's providence. That is what Spinoza was to deny, as far as I can understand him, and what Epicurus had denied. To add a complication. Maimonides said in an early work that epikoros came from Aramaic, and others have since derived it from the p-q-r Semitic root, signifying 'licentiousness'. By the time he wrote Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides had learnt about Epicurus's philosophy. Do, then, epikoros and a modern form, apikoros, come from the Greek philosopher, or was his fame projected on to an extant Semitic word? Professor Melamed eventually received a letter from the Ma'amad (churchwardens) of the synagogue saying the rabbi had exceeded his authority and he was welcome to visit.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Steak prices to soar as restaurants battle cattle shortage
Steak prices are soaring across Britain as a cattle shortage pushes the cost of beef to record highs. Restaurant owners and butchers have warned of significant price increases because of a supply crisis amid growing demand for red meat. Amir Batito, co-founder of Epicurus and The Black Cow restaurants in London, said he is preparing to raise steak prices by as much as 40pc and is charging an extra £2 for a beef burger, up from £13. He said: 'The price of the steaks increased, the price of labour increased – everything has increased.' It comes after the average deadweight price of a cow – the price paid once it has been slaughtered – has risen by 15pc since the start of the year to hit record highs, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). This has been fuelled by cattle shortages across Europe and the UK, as farmers struggle with higher costs. Will Beckett, co-founder of the Hawksmoor Steakhouse group, said: 'We're making less beef in this country than ever but demand is higher than ever. Guess what those two things do to pricing? You don't need a PhD in economics to know the answer.' He said Hawksmoor, which runs 10 restaurants in the UK, had 'gently' increased its prices by around 4pc. Prices are rising in the supermarkets too. Almost half of fresh beef products sold in the UK's biggest supermarkets have increased in price since the start of 2025, according to trade magazine The Grocer. Jeremy Godfrey, the managing director of 120-year-old butcher Godfrey's, said he is now paying up to 30pc for some cuts of beef. He said: 'We can't absorb that. We have to pass that on.' Max Ward, head butcher at meat specialists Hill & Szrok, in London, added: 'We're constantly fighting a battle. We're trying to see how long we can hold our ground before we are forced to change the prices again.' The supply crunch has been blamed on economic uncertainty and changes to farming subsidies, with UK beef production expected to fall by 5pc in 2025, according to the AHDB, compared to a 1pc increase in demand. Concerns have also been raised over the Government's inheritance tax raid. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based beef farmer and chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) livestock board, said farmers were considering cutting back on investment as a result of the policy change. He said: 'It's having a massive effect on absolutely everything we do. Beef is a long-term investment, and looking ahead now, it absolutely kills confidence. 'I'm just about to purchase a new bull from my herd. I won't see anything from that bull to sell for three years. In the current economic climate, as everyone's dealing with at the moment, three years is an awfully long time.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Steak prices to soar as restaurants battle cattle shortage
Steak prices are soaring across Britain as a cattle shortage pushes the cost of beef to record highs. Restaurant owners and butchers have warned of significant price increases because of a supply crisis amid growing demand for red meat. Amir Batito, co-founder of Epicurus and The Black Cow restaurants in London, said he is preparing to raise steak prices by as much as 40pc and is charging an extra £2 for a beef burger, up from £13. He said: 'The price of the steaks increased, the price of labour increased – everything has increased.' It comes after the average deadweight price of a cow – the price paid once it has been slaughtered – has risen by 15pc since the start of the year to hit record highs, according to the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). This has been fuelled by cattle shortages across Europe and the UK, as farmers struggle with higher costs. Will Beckett, co-founder of the Hawksmoor Steakhouse group, said: 'We're making less beef in this country than ever but demand is higher than ever. Guess what those two things do to pricing? You don't need a PhD in economics to know the answer.' He said Hawksmoor, which runs 10 restaurants in the UK, had 'gently' increased its prices by around 4pc. Prices are rising in the supermarkets too. Almost half of fresh beef products sold in the UK's biggest supermarkets have increased in price since the start of 2025, according to trade magazine The Grocer. Jeremy Godfrey, the managing director of 120-year-old butcher Godfrey's, said he is now paying up to 30pc for some cuts of beef. He said: 'We can't absorb that. We have to pass that on.' Max Ward, head butcher at meat specialists Hill & Szrok, in London, added: 'We're constantly fighting a battle. We're trying to see how long we can hold our ground before we are forced to change the prices again.' The supply crunch has been blamed on economic uncertainty and changes to farming subsidies, with UK beef production expected to fall by 5pc in 2025, according to the AHDB, compared to a 1pc increase in demand. Concerns have also been raised over the Government's inheritance tax raid. David Barton, a Cotswolds-based beef farmer and chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) livestock board, said farmers were considering cutting back on investment as a result of the policy change. He said: 'It's having a massive effect on absolutely everything we do. Beef is a long-term investment, and looking ahead now, it absolutely kills confidence. 'I'm just about to purchase a new bull from my herd. I won't see anything from that bull to sell for three years. In the current economic climate, as everyone's dealing with at the moment, three years is an awfully long time.'
