Emma Bengtsson

Aquavit - New York

Spend a day cooking with Emma Bengtsson, executive chef at Aquavit in New York, and you’ll discover that there’s way more to Swedish cuisine than those iconic meatballs. Today, she’s far removed from her childhood in the small Swedish fishing town of Falkenberg. 

Bengtsson lives in New York City, where she stands at the helm of Aquavit, for which she’s earned two Michelin stars. Before arriving in New York, Bengtsson spent 9 years as a pastry chef in Stockholm’s busiest and most lauded kitchens In her spare time, she’s an avid practitioner of bachata, a dance form originating in the Dominican Republic; she participates in international summits and competitions.