The final service at Hjem's South Causey Inn residency will be a Farewell Barbecue on 16 August, with Newcastle restaurant DOOD co-hosting the menu in the Beamish Valley. The afternoon is planned as a celebration of what Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and his wife Ally Thompson-Nietosvuori have built.
From Wall to the Beamish Valley
The couple opened the original Hjem at Wall in Northumberland in 2019, pairing Alex's Scandinavian culinary style with Northumbrian produce. That combination earned a Michelin star in 2021 - the first in the county - and the restaurant kept the star until it closed at the end of last year.
Their next plan was a purpose-built restaurant, Freyja, on the Close House Estate in Wylam later this year. As a stop-gap, they opened the six-month Hjem residency at The Farmhouse at South Causey Inn, serving a tasting menu and Sunday lunch. The residency expanded to events, with Alex's barbecue champion dad Ulf helping to run the grills outdoors with views of the surrounding Beamish Valley.
Then the couple announced that Freyja was off and they would be stepping away from hospitality. In a joint statement, they said: “We've become clear about what feels right for us and want to give ourselves the space to explore new opportunities and adventures.” They added: “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.”
One last menu together
The Farewell Barbecue will see the Hjem team joined by DOOD. Known for Persian and Levantine-inspired cuisine, DOOD will bring lamb chops, chicken kebabs, hummus and bread, while Hjem's dishes include marinated beef onglet with chimichurri, smoked salmon with lemon and dill, and French potato salad. An oyster bar and a fully stocked drinks bar will run through the afternoon.
DOOD restaurant manager Federico Khamaneh said: “When Alex invited us to be part of Hjem's final service, it was an immediate yes. Hjem has played such an important role in the North East's dining scene and it's a privilege for our team to help mark the end of an incredible chapter.” He added that both restaurants share a passion for fire-led cooking, quality ingredients and genuine hospitality, so the collaboration feels “like a natural fit”.
Ally said: “We've said all along that we didn't want these final weeks to be about saying goodbye. We wanted to spend them doing what we've always loved - cooking for people and bringing everyone together around the table. This barbecue feels like the perfect way to finish. Having the DOOD team cooking alongside us makes it even more special and we really hope lots of familiar faces will come and celebrate with us.”
Alex added: “The response since we announced we'd be stepping away has been incredible and we're so grateful to everyone who's booked to come and see us over these last few weeks. We know there are still plenty of people hoping to squeeze in one final visit so we'd encourage anyone thinking about coming to book sooner rather than later. Our lunch and dinner services are filling up quickly and we'd love to see as many people as possible before we say goodbye.”
The final lunch and dinner services at Hjem will be on 14 August. Tickets for the Farewell Barbecue on 16 August cost £45, with drinks and oysters available to buy separately.
