Press Release 01/09/25, 2:30 PM
For 15 years, the couple Patrick and Helle Lieffroy have owned Hesselhuset in Nyborg near the Great Belt. From there, they have run Restaurant Lieffroy, which has been a labor of love from the start and has now grown into a fully realized life’s work. The restaurant has been named Restaurant of the Year and has repeatedly garnered Danish and international recognition for its ability to be both distinctly Funen, French, and uniquely itself.
Although Patrick and Helle Lieffroy are not done building on their life’s work, they have decided to sell the restaurant to Carama Family Office. They are doing this to gain the freedom to pursue their dreams of creating even greater and more adventurous flavor experiences, based on seasonal Funen ingredients. The couple will remain as the restaurant’s head chef, restaurant manager, and sommelier.
Helle and I are proud of what we have achieved since opening in 2010. We have stayed true to traditions while continuously evolving. Carama shares our ambitions and love for Funen and can provide us with the peace of mind and resources needed to make our dreams a reality.
– Patrick Lieffroy, Head Chef
We have long focused on providing our guests with an experience inside the restaurant itself.
Patrick Lieffroy dreams, among other things, of establishing a larger kitchen garden, as well as giving Hesselhuset some extra care by expanding the terrace and transforming the upper floor into suites with views of the water.
‘We have long focused on providing our guests with an experience inside the restaurant itself,’ says Patrick Lieffroy. ‘And we have succeeded in making Lieffroy a gathering place and a destination people return to. Guests don’t come here just to satisfy their hunger but to share moments that connect them and become lasting memories. Now we’re expanding the experience by tying the restaurant together with Hotel Hesselet and the extraordinary nature that both the hotel and the restaurant are part of.
For Patrick Lieffroy, it is also important that more guests come to appreciate the beauty of the Funen coastline. As a second-generation Lieffroy on Funen, the restaurant is not just a labor of love but also located in a house with a history that dates back over 100 years.
It is his hope that the restaurant – under the name Lieffroy – will remain there for many years to come.
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- Patrick Lieffroy, Head Chef
Restaurant Lieffroy x Carama Family Office
In 2024, Carama Family Office purchased the neighboring Hotel Hesselet, and Martin Lumbye, CEO of the family business, looks forward to bringing the hotel and restaurant closer together. The ambition is to preserve the uniqueness of both places and make Nyborg a destination for people who appreciate good food, beautiful nature, and great experiences.
Facts about Restaurant Lieffroy
Michelin Guide 2023: Restaurant Lieffroy was included as a recommendation in the Michelin Guide.
Restaurant of the Year 2021: Awarded by Den Danske Spiseguide.
Feelgood Experience of the Year 2022: Awarded by White Guide.
Chef Profile of the Year 2022: Patrick Lieffroy was named Chef Profile of the Year by Den Danske Spiseguide.
Personal Service and Care of the Year 2024: Helle Lieffroy was honored for her personal service and care by Den Danske Spiseguide.
Service of the Year 2018: Helle Lieffroy was named Service of the Year by the Association of Danish Food Critics.
Silver Medal – Waiter of the Year 2017: Helle Lieffroy received a silver medal in the Nordic Championship for Waiter of the Year.
Silver Medal – Waiter of the Year 2016: Helle Lieffroy won a silver medal in the Danish Championship for Waiter of the Year.