The founders of high-achieving Scandi-style restaurant Hjem in Northumberland are quitting the hospitality industry and have scuppered long-term plans to open a follow-up venue called Freyja.
Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his Northumberland-born wife Ally Thompson-Nietosvuori will bow out with a farewell barbecue on 16 August at the Farmhouse in the South Causey Inn, County Durham, where they have been in residency since Hjem closed at the end of last year.
They launched Hjem in the village of Wall, near Hadrian’s Wall, in 2019, rising as high as number 3 on last year’s Harden’s 100 list of the UK’s best restaurants offering what diners described as “a perfect balance of theatre and supremely creative cooking with friendly and fun service“.
Their follow-up, Freyja, was originally scheduled to open last year in a purpose-built venue inside a walled garden on the Close House estate; when that was delayed they launched Hjem’s Farmhouse residency.
The pair have invited supporters to book for a farewell meal as “our time in the industry draws to a close“. They will also be hosting a pre-World Cup Final barbecue on Sunday 19 July, when Alex will cook alongside his father, Ulf.
Alex and Ally announced the closures via a social media post which read: “The past few months have given us time to reflect on what matters most to us and what we want from the next chapter of our lives. After much thought about what comes next, we’ve made the decision to step away from the Freyja project and draw our residency at the South Causey Inn to a close in August.
“We’ve become clear about what feels right for us and want to give ourselves the space to explore new opportunities and adventures.
“Hjem has given us more than we could ever have imagined. From the guests who travelled across the country – and further – to dine with us, to the incredible teams who have worked alongside us over the years, we feel enormously grateful for the support, kindness and belief people have shown us.
“We’re incredibly proud of what we have created together and we would love to welcome as many guests as possible over these final weeks to help us celebrate everything Hjem has been.”
