This is Nina

by Ema Tucak

Nina Olsson is a Swedish chef and best-selling cookbook author. A talented travel writer and truly passionate cook. Nina is renowned for her witty and authentic style as much as her clean flavours with a powerful punch. Her books are as enjoyable to read as they are to cook from. She has worked creatively with food for magazines and culinary brands for over 15 years and is an award-winning creative director, photographer, stylist and designer. Her namesake restaurant Chez Nina in Amsterdam has won over the hearts of guests and restaurant critics.

 Nina Olsson was born in the seventies in Stockholm, into a family of four as the second child. Raised in both the city and the Swedish countryside, she was kept grounded by her mother and muse – an artist and cook whose values and innate appreciation for beauty continue to inspire her today. From an early age Nina was exposed to flavours from around the world, brought home by her mother. This may be the reason she is today a food visionary beyond borders - but it’s also the simplicity of her food that makes her accessible around the globe. Here is a chef who has been standing by simple, healthy and mainly plant based food ever since she began her career as a culinary artist in Stockholm. ​​For Nina, simplicity began at home. Her earliest food memories are of foraging mushrooms and berries with her family in the forest. Her love for cooking flourished further when her own daughter was born, giving her a strong sense of the importance of whole and healthy food in everyday life. Becoming a mother herself helped unpack why we lean into the comfort of cooking, and how we connect through it. 

She graduated from the University of the Arts in London, in the early 2000’s, and began a career in publishing as an Art & Creative Director at Swedish fashion and food magazines. Nina experienced a career-shaping epiphany where she realised that her true passion was in cooking and  sharing the richness of plant-based food. After travelling the world, writing about food and travel, and learning from distinguished chefs, she redefined her cooking skills. This experience inspired her to present her own style of cooking as distinctly feminine, plant-based, nourishing and driven by creativity. 

Nina brought the Nourish Atelier platform to life in 2013, sharing her natural tried-and-tested recipes in online, and in print publications, becoming a rapid success with a global following of fans interested in her sustainable cooking. In 2017, she wrote and published Bowls of Goodness. The book became a sensation, catapulting her to be one of the bright new literary stars in food media. Nina followed up her success with three more cookbooks in four years.

Luscious, rich and nourishing food defines Ninas style of cooking. She firmly believes that we can be both conscious of what we eat and experience food as great pleasure. The pleasure Nina finds in food - her gracious understanding of it - have always been accessible. Combining vibrant colours, ingredients, and food styles with such ease is an alchemy of everything she is passionate about: art, fashion, graphics, architecture, design, nature and more. For her it is a great love affair. 

Her endless love for sharing delightful food led her to dream of opening a restaurant in the city she calls home: Amsterdam. For Nina, Amsterdam is a liberal, vibrant and joyful city, buzzing with limitless creative energy and inspiration. Nina wants to nurture the next generation of  female chefs and her kitchen uplifts the beauty of feminine elements in cooking.

With a beautifully considered approach to food, Nina Olsson, embodies the title of culinary artist. Her culinary creations are informed by a rich experience of travel and having lived in culinary European hotspots such as London, Berlin, Stockholm and Amsterdam. Today she continues on with both boundless enthusiasm and unswerving dedication to good food.

Follow @Nourish_Atelier and @chez.nina.amsterdam on Instagram

Nourish Atelier, was founded as a creative food & media studio in 2008.

Copyright Content.
The recipes and content on this website is copyrighted to Nina Olsson and the respective publishers of her cookbooks, Kyle Books / Octopus / Hachette Publishing, and Quarto Books. Content may not be copied from the site nor republished without consent.