The new Nordic kitchen

The leaders of Reykjavik’s food scene look to the past, local farmers and Icelandic nature for contemporary culinary inspiration, which is fueled in part by tourism. Meanwhile, Mediterranean flare and cooking classes are heating up the city’s kitchens.

For some time, a cuisine resurgence has been simmering in the northernmost capital of the world, growing now to a steady boil. But as with all things connected to Reykjavik and Icelandic cuisine, you must first trace backward to understand the present.

It started with New Nordic Cuisine, a restaurant movement begun in Copenhagen in the early 2000s which spread throughout Scandinavia, eventually reaching Iceland. The New Nordic concept, promoting an upscale return to local, seasonal dishes, is nothing new; chefs all around the globe are digging into the past, embracing culinary roots. But Iceland’s story is comprised of a patriotic movement sprung up unexpectedly, birthed by necessity, now nurtured by pride—and tourism.

According to the renowned chef and restaurant owner Þráinn Freyr Vigfússon, most known for his Reykjavik boutique restaurants Sumac Bar & Grill and ÓX, the Icelandic culinary rebirth began with the economic crash in 2008. He says this was a huge wakeup call for Icelanders.

“At the time, the Icelandic market demanded mostly imported food,” says Vigfússon, “and generally, had little awareness about the significance of traditional, local foods. The crash pushed us to look closer at our spending and not import all kinds of garbage.” The shift had begun.

Chef Þráinn Freir Vigfússon is best known for his Reykjavik boutique restaurants Sumac Bar&Grill and ÓX.

HOW TOURISM HELPS SHAPE THE CULINARY SCENE

What began as a necessary shove to import less and produce more evolved into a national culinary identity. Lured by the promise of elves, lunar landscapes—and exotic national dishes, Iceland emerged on the world stage, and travelers began to flock to this mystical land.

Chef Þráinn Freyr Vigfússon and his staff at Sumac Bar&Grill.

“After the financial crisis, tourists came and helped turn the market back around to Icelandic produce rather than imported products,” says Vigfússon. Since then, Iceland has come far by enhancing the New Nordic Cuisine, opening more restaurants and improving culinary tastes, according to Vigfússon. “The food scene has developed a lot with the help of a huge number of tourists.”

OMAGE TO THE PAST

Across the city and around the country, chefs are looking at what their parents and grandparents cooked. And what were the vintage recipes that inspired them? The three pillars of Icelandic cuisine have always been lamb, dairy and fish, and geography, terrain and climate have been determining factors in this longstanding tradition. Today, chefs are still serving those staples, but with a twist.

A family heirloom kitchen cabinet overlooks the bar at ÓX

At ÓX, Iceland’s intentionally smallest fine dining establishment, Vigfússon uses old recipes from his grandparents; dishes are simple but feed into the bigger picture of cultural identity. A family heirloom kitchen cabinet overlooks the bar, and the Icelandic timber cabin design theme keeps guests cozy. Components harken to an old Icelandic kitchen—when mythical monsters once roamed the countryside—while serving the finest ingredients.

TRADITIONAL FOOD REIMAGINED

All around the city, you’ll see seasonal Icelandic ingredients on upscale menus. At Grillmarkaðurinn, Icelandic culinary star Hrefna Sætran offers traditional whale, puffin and lobster mini burgers served with pesto, chorizo and horse radish mayo. Lightly smoked arctic char, comprised of pickled fennel, spiced rye bread, quail egg and mustard dressing is on the menu, as well as grilled whale steak pairs with Icelandic wasabi and soy vinaigrette. Want traditional lamb shank? It’ll come with potato terrine, sauerkraut and wild shiitake-apple glaze.

Harðfiskur (dried fish) has been a favorite Icelandic snack for centuries; Sætran brought it to the 21st century simply by dipping it in green tempura and deep-frying it. The dish is now a classic at Grillmarkaðurinn.

Chef Hrefna Sætran (middle) and staff at Fiskmarkaðurinn.

Sætran’s other endeavor, Fiskmarkaður inn, a Reykjavik favorite restaurant launched in 2007, serves contemporary seafood featuring fish, meat, and sweet dishes, with most ingredients sourced locally.

THE ROLE OF LOCAL FARMERS AND THE LANDSCAPE

Local farmers play a major role in the dining scene. “We are looking at what a small local farmer is producing close to home, and let that control where we start from,” says Vigfússon.

At Grillmarkaðurinn, most of the goods, sourced from farmers and producers, are known and trusted by the chefs. Farmers will tell Sætran’s team what’s in season and they’ll prepare it in their signature style. Plus, there are the distinct cultural and economic components: Supporting local farmers is good for the economy, and guests feel a sense of connection knowing where their food comes from.

TAKE A COOKING CLASS

For a firsthand look at how old meets new, tourists and locals delve into experiential cooking activities. One Reykjavik visionary, Chef Sigríður Björk Bragadóttir, had the idea to take over the culinary school Salt Eldhús in 2012… It just won the 2019 Icelandic Culinary Experience of the Year Travel and Hospitality Awards.

Bragadóttir is a culinary scene veteran, having worked at many restaurants; she was also a food writer and editor-in-chief at Iceland’s most prominent food and wine magazine Gestgjafinn.

Chef Sigríður Björk Bragadóttir at Salt Eldhús

The classes at Salt are very popular among small groups and foreign visitors who want to learn more about Icelandic cooking and ingredients. “Both Icelanders and foreign clients are looking to experience a combination of modern cooking with Icelandic produce,” Bragadóttir says. “So, it is important to cook with the Icelandic free roaming lamb, fresh fish, vegetables from sustainable greenhouses, wild herbs and more.”

Though traditional bases reign, Salt stays on top of current trends and offers classes that cater to both beginners and the more experienced “in a distinctive modern yet simple Icelandic way,” says Bragadóttir.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Bragadóttir says that with the combined surge of professional cooking, food interest and tourism, many Icelanders are now pursuing a career as professional chefs; chefs-to-be travel abroad to train with high-performing restaurants and return to Iceland with new ideas.

“We have a lot of young, talented and ambitious professional chefs, eager to make their mark on the food scene,” she says. “There is a lot of pride in the Icelandic cuisine now, which is very evident when you look at what the restaurants are offering with a creative approach inspired by Icelandic produce and traditions.”

Ultimately, Iceland’s New Nordic—and the creativity, curiosity, and hunger for various cuisines it has unleashed—is now the new normal.

by Krista Connor Photos: Courtesy of Salt Eldhús/Hákon Davíð Björnsson, Sumac Bar&Grill and ÓX. Photos of Hrefna Sætran and Fiskmarkaðurinn by Karl Petersson.