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What does this “velbekomme” mean?

The short answer is that it is the Danish equivalent of the French expression “bon appétit”. The longer answer is that “vel” means “well” and “-bekomme” in this context means “to please” as in “this pleases me”. The two most common uses of the word are:

1) When you have done someone a favour or paid them a compliment and they say thank you – you reply “velbekomme” as in “you’re welcome”.

2) When you are about to embark on a meal and the host says: “Velbekomme” as in “may this please you well”.

Someone in the food industry once asked me with some contempt why on earth I had chosen a Danish name for a blog in English. At that point I was not really expecting having to defend my choices since A: my mouth was full of sashimi and B: this is just a blog and something I have fun with, so I don’t wan’t everything to make sense. But actually it was a conscious choice, and I have since wanted to let that insolent person spoiling my lunch know that it is my aim to pass on a bit of my own culture (Danish as well as Australian – since I’m a 50/50 blend of both) to whatever readers I have. Velbekomme!

Hunni Frank

Sales Representative

With years of experience in the fashion industry, working as an agent for Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney, Hunni Frank has finally decided to return to her native Denmark and settle down. Luckily she shares our passion for gastronomy and wanted to lend her sales talent to a new area altogether. In her spare time, she enjoys jogging around the lakes in Copenhagen and on Saturdays she takes her partner Martin antiquing in the countryside. Contact Hunni for info on ad space on Velbekomme at +45 3543 1350.

Heidi Svømmekjær

Founder & Author of Velbekomme

Welcome to my own alternative dimension. This is where I perform open brain surgery on myself in order to let you in on my food revelations. Most of the words, food and photographs on this site were born right here in my apartment on Østerbro in Copenhagen. The rest is part of my nosy existence in the world. When I’m not thinking of food (I can do both actually), I’m a postdoc in cultural studies with a focus on radio history at the University of Copenhagen.  I’m 34 going on 16 and live with my boyfriend who’s just as food crazy as I am. Together, we have a waist width of 152 centimetres so I like to think there’s room for a lot more.

Feel free to print our recipes and join in on the comments. Thanks for stopping by and come see us again!

Silas Bo

Web design & Support

Silas is a wandering spirit who has climbed many a mountain and entered countless exclusive social circles in his time. However, after a nervous breakdown in 2004 he prefers to work at home, where he comes up with great creative solutions to Heidi’s website demands. On his days off, Silas likes to work through the volumes of Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of Things Past” (in English – after all, he’s not a pretentious ass) and can’t live without the yoga sessions on his favourite mat, a thoughtful present from Bono. Please direct all web-related inquiries to Silas at +45 4142 0098.