The Bailliage invited 64 excited members from all over Norway to dine at “Under” the world’s largest underwater restaurant. As someone said: you don’t get this anywhere else!

Bailli Jørgen Aall Flood and Restaurant Manager Benjamin Ausland welcomed everyone. Jørgen reminded us of the meeting in March 2017 when brothers Stig Brede and Gaute Ubostad revealed this project. Everyone thought the presentation enthusiastic, plans fresh and exciting, but could it really come to be? And it has! At a place far out from the water’s edge, at Norway’s southernmost point putting the country and the Sørland region on the map.

Restaurant Manager Benjamin talked about the project’s beginnings, the experience so far and what expectations they have for the future. He emphasised the importance of thinking about the overall concept talking about ambience, local ingredients, service and how the employees took ownership of the concept.

Key to this was Head Chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard, his commitment to engaging the whole team in his mindset and approach to the overall guest experience at Under. Benjamin also spoke about the importance of being able to use the site for educational purposes where school children can learn about biology.

Conseiller Culinaire Tarje Hellebust and Échanson Rolf Wenstad enjoyed discussing the menu.

Tarje said "In the moment I walked into this fantastic Snøhetta-designed space, I got a flashback to one of those great experiences I had as a child. The experience of reading Jules Verne’s ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ in which Captain Nemo circumnavigates the world in his underwater boat, Nautilus, getting into all sorts of adventures. This fantastic odyssey was written in 1870. Captain Nemo never quite made it here, but we did - to this fantastic adventure by the name of Under."

Tarje and Rolf expressed delight regarding ingredients brought together in new ways; innovative dishes with flavours challenging palates experiencing new versus familiar; expertise and attentive service of chefs and waiters; perfectly-adapted quantities of food and drink.

Both shared enormous enthusiasm for the whole concept. From the incredible entryway leading to the specially-designed interior through to the welcome you get, the gastronomic experience and the attentive service. What an experience!

We would like to give heartfelt thanks to Lindesnes Havhotel and Under for a fantastic evening and a wonderful stay at the hotel.

Jørgen Aall Flood
Bailli