{
  "id": 9360090,
  "title": "How Himkok, One of the World’s Best Bars, Cultural Exchanges Are Key",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/how-himkok-one-of-the-worlds-best-bars-cultural-exchanges-are-key",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-23T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Eater",
    "slug": "eater",
    "url": "https://www.eater.com/pre-shift/987802/himkok-oslo-bar-nordic-sessions-pre-shift"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Himkok, a prestigious bar in Oslo, Norway, has devised a novel approach to cultural exchange known as Nordic Sessions. This initiative aims to foster deeper connections among industry professionals, dispel the drawbacks of traditional guest shifts, and create a platform for genuine relationships. Nordic Sessions involve bringing together bartenders, journalists, and brand partners to experience the cultural elements that inspire the bar. These immersive experiences, spanning two to four days, may include activities such as cross-country skiing, mushroom foraging, hiking, or celebrating midsummer by the coast. Norway's restrictive alcohol marketing laws limit the promotional value of guest shifts for Himkok and its partners, making Nordic Sessions an ideal alternative. The sessions produce high-quality content, such as films and photography, which partners can utilize in other markets where permissible. Although Himkok has hosted numerous guest shifts, the team has observed guests' dissatisfaction with the unfamiliarity and sometimes subpar quality of drinks served by visiting teams. Hosting traditional guest shifts also puts pressure on staff due to the time, travel, and accommodation requirements. Nordic Sessions address these concerns by offering a more relaxed and personalized setting for participants to engage in meaningful conversations. The bar's R&D head, Paul Aguilar, explains that each session focuses on a specific aspect of Norwegian culture, such as skiing, hiking, cabin culture, foraging, or food traditions. Past sessions have featured activities like hiking Trolltunga, a challenging cliff in Ullensvang, Norway, which fostered strong bonds among participants and produced valuable content. Himkok collaborates with various brands, non-alcoholic companies, glassware manufacturers, food producers, and retailers. These partnerships are built upon the belief that their products and expertise can enhance the experience. The bar works with a filming partner, Oioioi, to create main films, shorter edits for social media, and photography that can be used by brands. Participating bartenders are also encouraged to create drinks featuring the sponsors' brands. The future of Nordic Sessions includes expanding beyond Norway, with plans for a similar experience in Iceland in November. This international approach aims to maintain the connection to local culture while learning from new environments and traditions.",
  "summary": "This excerpt was originally published in Pre Shift, our newsletter for the hospitality industry. This is the second installment of our series Getting on the Map, presented by Apple Maps. Over the next three weeks, we’ll be sharing how some of the most creative bars and restaurants […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}