Breaking records and pouring dreams

Sebastian Florian introduces our LWID's Golden Internationals series, which highlights those who have made Denmark their home and have made a significant impact on its growing multiculturalism.

Photograph: Daniel Frumusachi

Text: Sebastian Florian

Daniel Frumusachi greets me warmly, with a big smile. You wouldn’t guess that the first time this calm young man ever flew on an aeroplane, he’d jump out with a parachute and sabre open a bottle of champagne. Or, when doors closed because of his age, he made sure TV stations noticed him by announcing he’d break a world record. Or that he’d co-own the bar in Copenhagen where he had been washing dishes only six months before.

Today, Denmark is Daniel’s home. He’s embraced the country’s values and created a gathering spot for wine lovers - Not Your USUAL on Lavendelstræde in central Copenhagen - that he calls “The unofficial Moldovan Embassy in Denmark.” The bar’s name is apt because Daniel is very much not your usual Daniel, either!

Life in Moldova

Still just 25 years old, Daniel has come a long way from Domulgeni, the village in northern Moldova where he was born. “It was a very nice experience,” Daniel tells me. “You are always in contact with nature, which you don’t always appreciate when you’re young, but now I appreciate it a lot. It’s part of me. I dream of moving out of the city and having a garden again.”

His family had a small vineyard. He remembers the hard work: “I told my mother: ‘Listen, I will grow up, become rich and then I will never work in a vineyard again!’ But now I’ve changed my mind. To connect with nature, it’s like meditating.”

While his friends were considering careers as doctors or engineers, teenage Daniel knew he wanted to work with wine. “My family were angry,” he laughs. “They thought I’d be an alcoholic! But I’m super happy I did it. And, of course, they are super proud now!”

Not Your USUAL

Daniel took over Not Your USUAL in 2023, having worked there only six months earlier.

“It was more usual than unusual then,” he laughs. “There were a lot of conventional Western wines. We changed it to 100% unusual wines from Eastern Europe.”

Most of the bar’s customers are internationals under 40, who Daniel finds more open-minded to trying new things. But “some are sceptical. They come in, look at the menu and leave. I see it as a challenge. I’ll play games or give blind tastings, so they see they love the wines.”

Wine comes into the picture

Daniel’s hard work and curiosity were clear early on. While studying, he wanted more than to learn about farming and production. Aged only 16, he decided to become a sommelier, a professionally trained wine expert usually found in fine restaurants.

“I wanted to do more, and faster. I had to wait until I was 18, and find the money,” he remembers. “But the day after turning 18, I was accepted into the school. All my colleagues were 30, 40, and 50 years old. I was the baby of the class.”

Breaking into the industry by breaking a record

Becoming the youngest sommelier in Moldova didn’t open doors for Daniel. He quickly learned the industry wasn’t ready to accept a kid, and he needed to grab attention somehow. In June 2019, he attempted a Guinness World Record, opening 49 bottles of champagne in 30 seconds.

“I ended up on TikTok and TV, getting millions of views,” he laughs. “I was young and a bit stupid, but it’s good to take risks when you’re young. In Eastern Europe, it’s harder to be accepted as a professional if you’re young. I was lucky: one winery gave me bottles for free.”

His next idea: sabre a bottle of champagne while skydiving. His mom only found out about this potentially very dangerous stunt from the news: he’d feared telling her beforehand! Recognition followed quickly for Daniel: companies reached out, and the future seemed bright.

Starting from scratch in a new culture

The war in Ukraine brought tough times. The economy suffered, and getting work was harder. Daniel wanted to stay in Moldova, but his girlfriend wanted to move abroad, and Daniel followed. He had been to Copenhagen before, to an event for Not Your USUAL, and the owner had once offered him a job.

The first days at Not Your USUAL were tough. “It was a hard fall, from being successful in Moldova to cleaning dishes,” he admits. “But after two months, I could speak enough English to interact with customers.” Six months later, the owner decided to sell the bar, and Daniel seized the chance. He’s grateful his partner trusted someone so young with such a risk.

Daniel now feels at home in Danish culture, though the Danish language remains a barrier. “I need another year or so to learn,” he says. “But I like the Danish mindset, the work philosophy, how they treat each other. Where I come from, the customer is always right. Here, the one who is right is the one who is right. You’re more comfortable doing your job here.”

Plans for the future

As expected, Daniel dreams big. Another record attempt may be coming. “We’d love to become a place where people know each other, a place with a soul,” he says. “Maybe we’ll open more bars. Whether the guests are students or billionaires, everyone should be treated the same. When I’m old and grey, I want people to remember me as a good guy.”

The bar has also become a gathering spot for the Moldovan community: “We don’t have an embassy, so here we promote our food and culture,” Daniel says. “We celebrate national days, sometimes with sarmale (Romanian cabbage rolls) and placinte (a traditional pastry filled with soft cheese or apples). We are kind of like ambassadors.”

As we sip the last drops of wine, Daniel leaves me with this: “If you have a dream project, don’t worry so much about succeeding, as long as you enjoy it. You can take chances in Denmark. As they say: ‘If you don’t take the risk, you won’t drink champagne.’”