Marina

Classic smørrebrød (open sandwiches) topped with all sorts of delicious treats is undoubtedly Denmark’s finest and tastiest gastronomic invention. A much-lauded creation that must be made just right, using only the finest ingredients, if it is to be a pleasure to eat.  

A true master in the art of making beautiful, tasty and, not least, highly plated smørrebrød is Marina’s Zhaoye Li. Originally from China, he has spent the last two decades cooking in Danish and international restaurants in Copenhagen, where he developed a great taste for smørrebrød and its many possibilities. He went all out on smørrebrød at restaurant No 22 Bistro in Rungsted Harbour, where he became a great connoisseur of delicacies such as rye bread, prawns, home-made salads and more.

Now Zhaoye Li works his magic with ingredients in his own kitchen at Seaside, where he creates marvelous smørrebrød. Not the innovative and modern ones, but the classics such as Stjerneskud and pieces with pickled herring and roast pork. His personal favourite from Denmark’s great smørrebrød treasure trove is a piece of homemade chicken salad, which is of course on Marina’s menu, served with white and green asparagus, leek, apple, tarragon and yuzu. 

Preparing all the ingredients from scratch and creating the perfect smørrebrød is a time-consuming process, but Zhaoye Li doesn’t compromise – it has to be done right! 

He has ambitions for Smørrebrød and to spread its good fortune around the world – especially in his home country of China. In fact, Zhaoye Li is thinking about moving back to China one day and opening a real Danish smørrebrød restaurant.