Savouring the Trend — An Evening with Niels Kaastrup-Larsen at Ristorante Bindella, Zurich
Savouring the Trend — An Evening with Niels Kaastrup-Larsen at Ristorante Bindella, Zurich In this edition of Savouring the Trend, Adam Havryliv and Richard Brennan traveled to Zurich to dine with Niels Kaastrup-Larsen at Ristorante Bindella, a refined Italian institution that mirrors the Swiss city’s quiet competence. Over prosciutto, burrata, and perfectly prepared scaloppine, the conversation explored Kaastrup-Larsen’s dual contributions to systematic trading: his role heading European and Asian investor relations at DUNN Capital Management, and his creation of Top Traders Unplugged, a podcast that has become essential listening for the industry’s most serious practitioners. From hosting legends like Richard Dennis and Bill Eckhardt to providing a platform for deep systematic thinking, Niels has built a career defined by consistency and intellectual openness. In a setting where even forgotten glasses are met with quiet preparedness, the evening affirmed what matters most: discipline, restraint, and respect for process. Zurich does not announce itself. It operates with a quiet self-assurance born of competence long practised. Everything feels considered: orderly, efficient and discreet. It was here, at Ristorante Bindella, an institution that reflects the city’s confidence, that we hosted this instalment of Savouring The Trend. The Aussie Turtles, Adam Havryliv and Richard Brennan, were joined for dinner by Niels Kaastrup-Larsen of DUNN Capital Management, founder & host of the excellent Top Traders Unplugged podcast. Bindella is a restaurant that refines tradition. Italian hospitality is delivered without theatre, valuing standards over spectacle. We began with shared starters: prosciutto, burrata, and bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar – simple dishes that rewarded quality and restraint. Each of us chose the scaloppine for the main course, served with vegetables and prepared with care. Steamed vegetables and creamed spinach were ordered as sides, while wine was skipped entirely in favour of sparkling water throughout. Dessert was declined; a round of espresso provided a more fitting conclusion to an exceptional meal. For the Aussie Turtles, it was a particular pleasure to sit down with Niels in his adopted home. Born and raised in Denmark, he has built a career that has carried him across borders and perspectives. Today, Switzerland serves as his base as he heads up European and Asian investor relations for DUNN Capital Management. Switzerland suits him: international, precise, and quietly focused on outcomes. Between courses, the conversation ranged easily across markets and media. Niels’ path has been defined by consistency. While his role at DUNN places him within one of the discipline’s most respected institutions, his broader contribution to the industry has come through dialogue. Niels’ podcast series Top Traders Unplugged has become a central forum for systematic and macro thinkers alike. It was a pleasure to reflect on Richard’s own participation on the show: a reminder of the platform’s openness and intellectual range. Over time, the microphone has been shared with an unusually deep bench of presenters and guests, including Katy Kaminski and Andrew Beer, through to Harold de Boer and Jack Schwager – and even the original architects of the Turtle Trading Program, Richard Dennis and Bill Eckhardt. The breadth is deliberate, allowing serious practitioners to explain how they think, not just what they trade. Midway through the meal, a small moment captured the tone of the Bindella experience. Niels realised he had forgotten his glasses. Seconds later, the waiter returned with four pairs, inviting him to try each until the right fit emerged. Quiet competence and preparedness. Switzerland, distilled. As plates were cleared and espresso arrived, our discussion touched on discipline, media, and the long arc of careers built by resisting noise rather than chasing it. There was no attempt to extract lessons or impose conclusions. The value lay in the exchange itself. Face-to-face conversations still matter. Shared meals build connection, and give discussions a weight that screens cannot replicate. In an industry increasingly mediated by distance and digital shorthand, evenings like this are increasingly rare and valuable. We left Bindella clear-headed and affirmed in the belief that the most enduring edges, in markets and in life, come from consistency, restraint, and respect for process. The Ledger Prosciutto (starter, shared): CHF 48 Burrata (starter, shared): CHF 42 Bread, olive oil & balsamic: CHF 18 Scaloppine (main, per person x3): CHF 204 Steamed vegetables (shared): CHF 18 Creamed spinach (shared): CHF 22 Sparkling water: CHF 24 Espresso: CHF 18 Subtotal: CHF 394 Service (~15%, rounded): CHF 56 Total: CHF 450 Using exchange rates from 27 August 2025: CHF 450 ~AUD 862 ~USD 506 ~EUR 482
