Novum Kitchen – a new restaurant in the heart of Novum Research Park
With classic flavors and the ambition of becoming the neighborhood’s living room, newly opened Novum Kitchen aims to create a restaurant for both everyday meals and special occasions. We sat down for a chat with owner Lahdo Sharro.
A buzz blends with bursts of laughter in the heart of Novum Research Park. Health care professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs wave to one another in the queue, and familiar aromas fill the packed lunch restaurant as we weave our way over to Lahdo Sharro to ask if we can have a quick word.
“Come back after 14, when it’s a little quieter. I’ll be here waiting,” he says with a quick wink as he empties a cart of dishes at lightning speed.
After 14, the buzz has quieted down. A few late lunch guests and coffee drinkers are seated at the tables, and Lahdo Sharro is waiting, just as promised. The restaurant has been open for two days and has already served more than 300 guests in total, he tells us in the same breath as he exchanges a few words about the ventilation with a property manager.
Once we sit down, we ask him what he is feeling right now.
“First and foremost, because everything has gone so well and because of all the positive feedback we’ve received these days.”
The menu has included dishes such as schnitzel, poached cod, and truffle pasta. The display case is stocked with favorite treats such as carrot cake, cinnamon buns, and brownies. Lahdo goes on to explain that the first days have been characterized by kindness and openness among the guests, as well as many encounters with curious questions and thoughtful reflections.
“People here really take the time to sit down and talk.”
Behind the restaurant is Lahdo and co-owners André, Micke, and Patrick. Together, they bring extensive combined experience from the industry – a handpicked super team that knows how to satisfy appetites and create a welcoming atmosphere, as he describes it himself.
“These guys have cooked at the best places”, he says proudly.
Lahdo is originally from Södertälje and has over the years become a serial entrepreneur who now owns several restaurants across Stockholm. But he doesn’t work behind the stove; his motivation is to provide excellent service, and to help wherever he is needed.
“I don’t see problems or obstacles. I’m the firefighter here – I am wherever I’m needed.”
Looking ahead, the restaurant’s focus is to keep getting the lunch service fully up and running. At the same time, the ambition is to serve both businesses and residents in Flemingsberg by offering catering and event bookings at the restaurant. A neighborhood living room and a place to enjoy good food, feel at home, and keep coming back to – summing up the restaurant’s own guiding principles.
Learn more about Novum Kitchen here.
About Novum Research Park:
Novum is a building with a total of around 60,000 square meters of office and laboratory space in the heart of Campus Flemingsberg, just steps away from Europe’s leading hospital and Karolinska Institutet. It is a place where researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs come together. Read more here.
