Ikea Plots Parisian Restaurant Pop-Up

Paris's adoring fans of Ikea Swedish meatballs will have the opportunity to try out cheffy takes on the furniture company's smorgasbord of cafeteria cuisine come June. According to Le Figaro, the Scandinavian store plans to launch a chef-driven pop-up restaurant in Paris's upscale Le Marais neighborhood this summer.

The restaurant, called Krogen, will challenge amateur chefs to prepare a three-course meal that costs no more than $11.40 per customer and integrates Ikea cafeteria items into the menu. Ikea is currently hosting an open casting call online. The semifinalist roster featuring 24 chefs will be selected by the end of the month. Fifteen finalists will compete in the pop-up restaurant event, which runs from June 7 through June 25, and all proceeds from the event will benefit the anti-poverty French Popular Relief charity.

The distributor of fine composite wood bookcases and hydroponic garden kits is known for integrating dining experiences into its marketing strategies. Last spring, the company opened a temporary bed and breakfast cafe in East London that featured beds for rent and a full Scandinavian meal. The sponsor of disintegrating relationships also recently revamped its in-house restaurants.