Ellen Franzén is a multiple Swedish master of sommelier, former head sommelier at Gastrologik, and now head sommelier for Freyja+Söder. We caught up with Ellen to find out more about her and her passion, wine.
Tell us, who is Ellen?
Who am I? I’d say I’m a wine enthusiast, a girl who loves food—or perhaps someone who loves both food and drink. I’m the sommelier here at Freyja. I handle all the wine purchases, take care of the wine cellar, manage and build it up, and decide on the wines served by the glass and bottle—basically, anything related to wine.
I also help guide our guests toward delightful drinking experiences, of course!
You’ve been working at Freyja since it opened. What has changed or improved?
I’d say it’s all been improvements. The team has become stronger, we’ve developed a clearer identity, and there’s a new sense of confidence, as if we’ve always been here. The wine list has also expanded, which, in my opinion, is a significant improvement.
Do you have any exciting plans you can share?
We’re planning to start our wine dinners again this fall with some new and exciting wineries. We’ll create a tasting menu paired with the wines from these vineyards. Autumn is a wonderful and exciting time when we can focus inward again. Summer on the terrace is lovely, but fall brings a wider variety of ingredients, the menu takes on a more autumnal feel, and there’s room for even more delightful wines. The seasonal shift here at Freyja + Söder is quite evident when we move outside for summer and then return indoors for autumn.
What shouldn’t we miss for the ultimate visit to Freyja?
Definitely start with a drink—my favorite is the “Södra Sidan” (mint, apple, and Stockholms Bränneri gin). You also shouldn’t miss the sturgeon roe chips. For me, the perfect evening involves ordering a variety of dishes from the menu and sharing a few bottles of wine that pair well with the food. If you’re not sure what to drink, just ask me.
How and why did you start working as a sommelier?
Basically, I worked seasonal jobs after graduating, in the Swedish fjäll and the Stockholm archipelago, and it was during that time that I first fell in love with the restaurant industry. After that, I was supposed to “grow up” and study economics, but I quickly realized that I wasn’t cut out for a nine-to-five job. I discovered that I loved working in restaurants, loved the restaurant life, loved wine, so it’s a luxury to be able to work with your hobby.
To go into a bit more detail, my sommelier career began at Esperanto, where I met Sayan Isaksson (Nour) and Sören Polonius, who became my mentor and is still my wine mentor today. He encouraged me to start competing in wine, and that pulled me completely into that world. If I loved the restaurant industry before, it was nothing compared to when I entered the fine dining scene. I had worked nine years in fine dining before coming to Freyja, and when Karl Ljung contacted me about this major project at Freyja, I couldn’t say no because I felt the restaurant and the project were something truly special.
What’s the secret to pairing wine with food? How do you adjust wine to seasonal ingredients?
There’s probably no secret to it. For me, pairing food with wine is quite natural. It’s about matching certain parameters—if there’s acidity in the food, you want acidity in the wine. You want to balance flavors, acidity, sweetness and find a harmonious balance overall. Seasonal adjustments mean that during spring and summer, we lean more toward white wines because the ingredients are lighter, so the wines are lighter too. Then in winter, when the flavors in the food are richer and more robust, the wines become fuller as well.
The key is that if it tastes good together, it’s right. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. It doesn’t really matter what I think is the best pairing—if you don’t like the wine, you probably won’t enjoy it with the food either. Dare to drink what you like and then pair that with different dishes.
Do you have any hidden talents?
Yes, I love pottery and am pretty good at it. Soon, pink dog water bowls that I’ve made will be available at Freyja.
What’s the absolute best wine you’ve ever tasted?
It’s impossible to say. I’ve been lucky enough to taste so many amazing wines that I could never afford to buy myself. I feel quite spoiled but also grateful to have experienced so many fantastic wines. I probably couldn’t even list the top three. Region-wise, Champagne, Burgundy, and California stand out for me—some of the best wines I’ve had have come from those regions. But then again, in the right company, almost any wine tastes good.
Title of your autobiography?
“The Glass Half Full”
Wine from France or Italy?
France.
A summer or winter day on the Söder terrace?
It has to be a summer day.
Sundays or Mondays?
Monday. I love Mondays—they’re a bit calmer, and it’s also the start of something new!
Thank you, Ellen!