Icelandic Cuisine - Status and Future

Fanney Dóra says that we Icelanders have become prouder of our domestic food production and says this is reflected in the menus of many restaurants. Very many restaurants have great ingredients on their menus, she says.

Fanney Dóra is of the opinion that we should stop waving fermented food and brennivín in tourists' faces as if it's what we eat every day. We have fantastic professionals, good products, and a beautiful country, she says, adding that a large part of the food experience is eating food from the region we travel to.

The food experience is a big part of the culture, and I think that tourists who come here are also looking to get to know that side of the country, just like seeing the northern lights, she says.

She says that Icelandic chefs are ambitious and want to work with Icelandic ingredients. They are not afraid to use ingredients that are not traditional. For example, I ate common whelk at a restaurant the other day, she says, which was a very fun experience and reminds us that we can offer great diversity.

We should be diligent in using Icelandic herbs like angelica, chervil, and bistort. They were used more here in the old days and are making a comeback. That's how we create an Icelandic flavour and uniqueness, she concludes.