We caught up with our founder, Michel Deleuran — the person behind most of the “wait, you can put that on rye bread?” moments on our menu — to talk about why he started RørtT, where his ideas come from, and the one ingredient he thinks deserves a lot more attention than it gets.

Q: What inspired you to found Rørt and what does the name mean?

The name ‘Rørt’ means ‘stirred’ in Danish, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here—stirring up the traditions of smørrebrød. In Danish “rørt” also means “being emotionally touched,” a feeling we strive to evoke with our recipes and taste combinations.

I founded Rørt to challenge and redefine smørrebrød, using local ingredients to create something both familiar and entirely new.

Q: Where do you get inspiration for recipes?

Inspiration can come from anywhere—the seasonal produce I find at local markets or through personal experiences.

We are not confined by Danish tradition but look towards the entire world for inspiration. I aim to blend simplicity with innovation and create surprising and new types of smørrebrød.

Q: What’s the most underrated ingredient? 

Onions are my absolute favorite ingredient. They give depth and flavor to everything. And they can do so many different things — raw, roasted, deep-fried, braised, fermented, you name it.

“If I could only bring one ingredient to a desert island, it would probably be a pile of onions.”