founders stories

PONTUS FRITHIOF - PONTUS GROUP

Pontus Frithiof, born 2 December 1972 in Hammarby, is a Swedish chef, restaurateur and founder. He became famous in 1999 for Pontus in the Green House, which was named Sweden's best restaurant. Over the years, he has received awards such as restaurateur of the year, business restaurant of the year and awarded the Gastronomic Academy's Gold Medal. Pontus Frithiof runs several restaurants in the Stockholm area under the Pontus Group. He is an Ambassador Member at the Founders Alliance.

Pontus Frithiof has published a cookbook, appeared on Swedish television and Swedish media and is involved in issues that strengthen the industry.

www.pontusfrithiof.com

Biography

Pontus Frithiof began his career as an apprentice back in 1987 as a 15-year-old with chef Erik Lallerstedt at Eriks in Old Town, Stockholm. In 1989 Frithiof continued to Paris and Brussels where he worked at reputable restaurants such as Le Copenhague and Michel Rostang and together with a friend he started Gästkockarna, his own catering company for Swedish business leaders in Paris.

Once back in Sweden, Frithiof started working as sous chef with chef Leif Mannerström and in 1996 he was back again with Erik Lallerstedt at Eriks, now as head chef.

Businesses

Through Jan Hugo Stenbeck, who owned the property, Frithiof was given the opportunity to open Pontus in the Green House in 1999. Two years later he opened Pontus Catering and the following year Pontus by the Sea. Since then, Frithiof has opened several businesses, received awards and published a cookbook together with journalist Lotta Lundgren, Pontus by the Book 2004. In April 2007, Pontus in the Green House was closed and the same year restaurant Pontus! opened at Brunnsgatan 1 in Stockholm.

The operations are run under the name Pontus Group and since 2015 several projects have been run under the Pontus brand. In autumn 2015, Frithiof opened several businesses in the DN building: Tidningshuset by Pontus, Deli by Pontus, Bakery by Pontus and Atelier 23. In the spring of 2016, Pontus Frithiof opened Pontus in the Air at Stockholm Arlanda terminal 5, which led to a mention in White Guide Sweden 2017. Pontus in the Air's operations were expanded in the spring of 2017 with the American Express Lounge by Pontus, the restaurant Monstro and the app ‘Pontus in the air’ with ordering functions.

Since the spring of 2015, the majority of restaurants have been run by Pontus Frithiof together with restaurateur Thomas Dahlstedt, Nordrest and Modi's restaurants, where Pontus Group is responsible for concept development, menus and quality assurance and Nordrest for the operation of the restaurants. Together they share the responsibility for serving on board MTR Express trains Stockholm – Gothenburg, Pontus in the Park, Pocket Solna and since 2017 Pocket by Pontus in Arenastaden, Tekniska by Pontus and Vinterträdgården by Pontus, in Hjorthagen.

Pontus Frithiof and Thomas Dahlstedt developed a completely new concept for the neighbourhood restaurant La Girafe that opened in 2020.

La Girafe wants to be the unexpected and simple alternative with a food and interior design concept that draws inspiration from multicultural Paris. It is open every day of the week from early morning to late evening and serves breakfast as well as takeaway lunch and dinner for small and large groups. La Girafe is the place, in all simplicity, to have a coffee, a glass or enjoy different flavor combinations from the menu, regardless of the occasion or need.

Photo: Anja Callius

In 2021 Pontus Frithiof and Mario E. Moroni opened a top class restaurant where you can enjoy the best that is available - La Tour.

La Tour embodies our vision of what a top-level restaurant should be. From the attention to detail to the experience as a whole. With La Tour, they formulated a completely new concept for food culture and restaurant experience, deeply rooted in their passion and experience. They call it power dining. An extremely exclusive experience in all dimensions.

Cookbook

Pontus Frithiof has written a cookbook together with Lotta Lundgren – Pontus by the Book published in 2004. The book won the Cookbook Design category at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Örebro. Pontus by the Book is, among other things, represented at the National Museum in Stockholm.

Media

Pontus Frithiof has, among other things, appeared as a guest in Swedish television programs such as TV4 Nyhetsmorgon, Malou von Sivers' program Efter tio and in radio programs such as with Rix Morgon Zoo and with the media profile Robert Aschberg and in a variety of podcasts. Frithiof is also active on social media such as Instagram and LinkedIn and has run several blogs, including on Visita's site besoksliv.se and on ellematovin.se.

Awards

• Gastronomic Academy: Gold medal

• Dagens Industri named Pontus in the Green House as Sweden's best restaurant and Business Bar of the Year

• The Swedish Advertising Association Reklamförbundet Gold Egg competition 2005, Pontus by the Book, silver egg in the design category

• Pontus! received the award for the environment and atmospheric experience of the year by White Guide 2009

• Pontus! became eco-restaurant of the year by Eko Mat Centrum and White Guide 2010

• Pontus! named Wine Experience of the Year by White Guide 2010

• Gourmand World Cookbook Awards: Pontus by the Book, first prize category cookbook design

• News of the day: Pontus! the Golden Dragon in the Find of the Year category

• Pontus in the Air mention in White Guide Sweden 2017

• Selected as an Ambassador Member of the Founders Alliance 2017