- 11 minutes read‘
Before Bertil, the room was empty. When he saw the bare walls, the unfurnished room, and heard his own voice echoing through the space, his heart felt oppressed. “When you walk into an empty house, it’s very difficult to feel at home,” he says, recalling his first days in Argentina.
This wasn’t the first time the Danish native had thrown everything away and started over. His passion and the people who appeared on his path led him on an unexpected path from the lands of Scandinavia to distant and sometimes exotic-sounding lands – the territories of Latin America. First came Bolivia, then Brazil, and finally, Argentina: “A place where people are different”; he declares.
But why live in Buenos Aires? He says he arrived in the South “without hunger” and felt his desire for creativity and projection had disappeared. However, the vibrant city conquered him and inspired him to start life differently.
One of Bertil Levin Tottenborg’s favorite pastimes was watching his parents in the kitchen. His father in particular has a passion for the world of home cooking. Their home is always filled with aroma and taste and I saw them happily preparing different dishes as a way of giving love to their families. Thus, from an early age, Bertil began to feel attracted to a world that gave him more than just energy for his body. He felt that the chef conveyed warmth and care through the food. “But cooks like the monotony and repetition, chopping onions until perfection and feeling that sense of accomplishment. Repetition is boring and you lose focus,” he observes.
The young man arrived, armed with some culinary concepts, and Bertil paraded through all sorts of jobs related to the world of hospitality. bartender And so on. Thanks to his obsessive personality and special interest in service, he applied and managed to get into the famous restaurant “Geist”. Under the umbrella of Bo Beck. There he entered the world of wine. And one day Beau offered to pay him for his specialty as a sommelier. copenhagen wine company. That gesture opened more doors than I could have imagined. Bertil found his passion and the dynamism he was looking for. He combined his love of serving with his love of wine. He became the sommelier in charge of Geist and entered a world full of high demands, perfectionism and expectations.
After five years with his mentor, Bertil felt it was time to explore new horizons. At that time, he had already met influential people in the world of gastronomy, including Kamila Seidler and Jonas Andersen, who had collaborated with Klaus Meyer, co-founder of the restaurant Noma (considered one of the best restaurants in the world), known for promoting the new Nordic cuisine and using gastronomy to influence society. camila and jonas They told him about Gustu, a gastronomic space Meyer was planning to open in Bolivia. After many years, the restaurant finally became another global event. “I took part in a project in La Paz, and my life began in Bolivia,” says Bertil, who went there. head sommelier And after a while, I became a restaurant manager at the same time.
The Bolivian era meant great challenges. Obsessed with customer experience, differentiated care and attention to every detail, Bertil worked to transform service into art. His efforts paid off and at the time he was recognized by various international media and was classified as the best sommelier in the world. It seemed that life was smiling down on him. “I tried to provide people with happy moments, but People are having a warmer experience than usual,” he says.
“I thought I would be in Bolivia for two years, but I ended up staying for seven years,” he continued. “It was a very tough time mentally, it wasn’t hard work, it was very hard work. However, it was extremely demanding on my mind and body, and I was running out of desire to do more. ”
“Gustu was at the height of his success, and then the pandemic arrived. Around that time, he met his wife-to-be. She was in Bolivia for work, and she was from Brazil, so she had to return home at the same time. Since I was in a good position, I felt it was a good time to go with the flow without me. My wife and I went to Brazil. That time was very important for me. I had a chance to rest my head a little and recharge my “batteries.” With this in mind, we hold events every month. ”
One day, after living in Brazil for two years, my wife announced that she would be transferred. Buenos Aires becomes a new destination And Bertil began new movements with her, eager to discover new corners, tastes, ways of relating.
But this time he arrived in Argentina with a different mentality. “I felt like I was at a point in my life where I had to consider my mental health and make decisions that were good for me. I’m happy to do it. There is no problem adapting to cultural changes. Again, taking that sense of monotony that chefs like…I don’t like repetition, I like change, I like having new cultures and new food. ”
Until the furniture arrived in Buenos Aires, Bertil felt homeless. Although his parents and family were generally accustomed to remoteness (he has a sister in Tasmania), the distance in the empty moments became more apparent. But then personal belongings arrived, the house began to take shape and radiate warmth, and an exciting dawn dawned on the Argentine capital.
“I started going out more to explore the city and sample the flavors, and of course I started eating more beef than I used to,” he says with a laugh. “Buenos Aires is a vibrant city with great theatres, museums and recitals. There was a lot going on and it was a lot of fun! Of course, change is hard, you have to start over, you have to build your social life again, you have to make new friends, you have to find a nice apartment. Starting something new can be very positive, but it can also be difficult at first because it doesn’t feel like home. Even dogs feel good when they see furniture. ”
“The quality of life in Buenos Aires is great when it comes to the things I enjoy: museums, music, art, food, etc.,” he continues. “Argentinians, on the other hand, are very special. After living in Bolivia and Brazil, I saw a big change when I arrived in Argentina. Argentines are very different from people from many other countries on this continent. What makes us similar to other people is the warmth hidden within. When you start to understand the Argentinean’s humor, way of speaking, etc., you will find that they have very good qualities. People here have that unique Argentinian feeling of sharing everything and meeting people who don’t know you but inviting you to embrace them. The quality of humanity is incredible. ”
After the first stages of adaptation, Bertil began to evaluate his employment prospects in Buenos Aires, confident that he wanted to make a prudent decision. Soon they began to call him from different places, he met and had interesting conversations, but in each case there was something in the offer that did not convince him. “We didn’t have the chemistry and weren’t excited about the project.”
August 2025 arrived and nothing was in sight, but Bertil traveled to Denmark to see his family, where he met up with a friend who lived in Barcelona. She said there was a chef (Leo Lanusol) who was opening a restaurant in Buenos Aires that was definitely worth it.
“There was a moment of a little bit of disbelief for me, but “I never expected to come across a project like the one I experienced at Gustu,” says Bertil. “But a week later, Leo sent me a message telling me about the project and asking if I had any ideas to contribute. I always think it’s interesting to see projects that haven’t opened yet, so I accepted. I came back and met him and immediately struck up a very good relationship. We have very different personalities, but we have similar ideas about how a gastronomic space should work. My missing hunger has returned. “When I walked into that space, I felt creative again.” Mr. Bertil is currently Head of Hospitality at Ness, where he delivers service that is attentive to detail and true to his personality.
“For me, the emotion of each client when entering the restaurant is very important: warmth, sound, visuals, a desire for every detail, but at the same time cheerful and interesting,” he explains. “It’s a more approachable experience in the sense that there’s very individualized attention and we try to recommend what’s appropriate.”
The house in Buenos Aires is no longer empty and Bertil feels he has found a home in Argentina. For him, from the first years of life, joy, warmth and a feeling of home were always important. His parents left their mark on him, and after living in various destinations around the world, he now strives to recreate his hometown wherever he is, whether it be with family, friends, or a work environment.
Meanwhile, Buenos Aires unexpectedly appeared in his path and gave him one of the biggest surprises of his life. “I had wanted to retire, but here I regained my hunger for creation and activity,” he says.
It could be because of the city, or it could be because of our ability as humans to recognize that we don’t like monotony and understand that it’s time to move and change culture. “As humans, it is very important to know different cultures,” says Bertil. “Through this path, we are more likely to find patience and peace because we understand that we are all different. Every move was so important to learning how to be a better person and warmer. Be happy and be accepting of other people and ideas. ”
“Where I lived was very different from Denmark. Living there helped me accept that there are other ways to be happy and that it’s not all about money. Like Bolivia, it’s about love and friendship. There’s no one right path. Brazil increased my sense of relaxation and joy.” Buenos Aires… Buenos Aires gave me the possibility to express all my creativity and thinking. ”
“In Argentina, I was able to focus on all of my studies over the past 15 years, becoming more patient, more decisive, knowing how to communicate and teach, and becoming the person I want to be. Relax and be happier than ever. ” I conclude.
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“Unexpected Argentina” is a section that proposes to delve into the motives and emotions of foreigners who choose Argentine land to live. If you would like to share your experience, please write to argentinainesperada@gmail.com . This email does not provide information regarding tourists, workers, or consulates. The person who receives the memo is not the protagonist, but the author of the memo. The testimonies told in this section are life records that reflect personal perceptions.
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