Emelie Svensson exudes a calm confidence and a solid understanding of how a restaurant works in practice. At the restaurant Agnes on Kungsholmen, her philosophy is reflected in everything from menu development to team leadership.
Emelie was adopted from South Korea as a child and grew up in Hässelby, in western Stockholm. Her childhood revolved around dressage and competitions—a world that taught her discipline, focus, and perseverance. School, on the other hand, she describes as anything but easy.
“My school years were terrible until a few years after high school,” she says. “Completing my grades at Komvux and later studying at Stockholm University was a way to ease my academic anxiety. But I also genuinely enjoy learning new things.”
At the same time, she found her place early in the restaurant world. It wasn’t gastronomy that drew her in at first, but the environment, the colleagues, and the sense that each shift ended with a tangible accomplishment. She started in the service staff—a role she still carries with pride.
Over her more than 30 years in the industry, Emelie has worked at both large and small establishments, ranging from cafés and catering to food halls, theaters, major events, and dining rooms. Yet it was her interest in wine that ultimately shaped her path. After studying at the Restaurangakademien, she worked as a restaurant manager and sommelier at venues such as Tranan and deVille in Stockholm.
Since 2015, she has owned and operated the restaurant Agnes on Kungsholmen, which has become a natural part of the neighborhood. At Agnes, there are no concepts for the sake of it. The food and wine speak for themselves, always with integrity.
“We work with ingredients and drinks that we can stand behind, with provenance and character,” explains Emelie. “We choose wine based on the producer rather than the country. The wine should reflect Agnes.”
When it comes to pairing food and wine, Emelie doesn’t believe in rigid rules.
“You can break all the established rules, even though of course some pairings work better than others. Growth happens when you dare to try something new!”
She has observed that guests have become more curious, more knowledgeable, and more open to lesser-known grape varieties and regions. Rising prices from classic wine regions have partly driven this development, but it’s also due to increased knowledge among both staff and guests. Additionally, the world of non-alcoholic beverages is on the rise and is taking up an increasingly prominent space.
Despite her extensive experience in the industry, Emelie is still full of energy and a drive to grow. People remain at the heart of everything, with the goal being satisfied, engaged staff and happy guests. And profitability? That’s a prerequisite, not an end goal.
“Without profitability, there is no creativity or development,” Emelie asserts.
Balancing creativity and economics is a constant challenge for restaurateurs. Emelie factors in many small decisions in her strategy, such as smart menu planning, reducing waste, proper pricing, and using a daily specials board while ensuring the wines keep rotating on the list.
At Agnes, the staff is central, and many choose to stay with the team for a long time. This is no coincidence. For Emelie, a strong culture is built in daily life—through communication, collaboration, and interaction with guests.
“I often say we could run a restaurant out of a shipping container as long as we have the right team,” she laughs. “Clarity, transparency, joy, and loyalty—that’s the foundation.”
When the conversation turns to the restaurants of the future, Emelie returns to the same core: the people.
“We need to be an attractive industry for the next generation of staff and give them the conditions to stay and grow. There are still equality and equity issues to address, and we need to secure a skilled workforce for the future.”
At the same time, she hopes interest in food and beverages will continue to grow—along with awareness of quality ingredients, drinks, and the true cost of farming, raising, fishing, or producing sustainably.
Den 28e januari kliver Emelie in på FFCR Stockholm och gör det med nyfikenhet och glädje. Mest ser Emelie fram emot att möta andra från branschen och att stå i live-köket med Agnes egna köksmästare Oscar Steinauer.
– Det är en ära att få dela med mig av vår passion. Jag vill ge tillbaka till branschen som gett mig så mycket, avslutar Emelie.
Av: Jessica Karlberg
Fotograf: Danger Österlin
Tema: Menu Reinvented – fokus på det som verkligen får restauranger att blomstra
Emelie Svensson exudes a calm confidence and a solid understanding of how a restaurant works in practice. At the restaurant Agnes on Kungsholmen, her philosophy is reflected in everything from menu development to team leadership.
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