The Faroese food scene has truly taken off in recent years and there are no signs of it slowing down. The Faroe Islands will compete in six of seven categories at Embla, the Nordic Food Awards, which seek to celebrate the best of Nordic cuisine.
The Faroe Islands are no stranger to success at the awards. The event, held every second year, was first held in 2017 when three people/organisations from the Faroe Islands were nominated in four categories. The North Atlantic archipelago took home three wins.
This year’s categories and nominees are as follows:
NORDIC FOOD PRODUCER: Grøna oyggja (Green Island)
Two farms, Miðstovugarður and Uttastovugarður, from the island of Sandoy have been trailblazers in experimenting with Faroese vegetables. The Faroese food environment has benefitted greatly from access to organic, Faroese-produced vegetables.
NORDIC FOOD ENTREPRENEUR: Johannes Jensen
Johannes has opened 13 restaurants in the Faroes, all distinctive in style and concept. One of them is two-star Michelin restaurant KOKS, which focuses on using local produce. Another is Ræst, which serves fermented Faroese dishes – an idea so far-fetched it was unthinkable only ten years ago.
NORDIC FOOD ARTISAN: Bull calves from Gásadalsgarðurin
Traditionally, bull calves were deemed useless and were often dispelled of soon after birth. A farm in the small village of Gásadalur, called Gásadalsgarðurin, has developed a way to breed bull calves organically, slaughter them and ferment the meat. The fermented meat is used in a fermented beef soup. The soup has received rave reviews from media around the world, and is served in the same building as it is slaughtered.
NORDIC FOOD COMMUNICATOR: Jóan Pauli Joensen
Dr. Jóan Pauli Joensen has spent a large portion of his life researching and documenting the Faroese kitchen and culinary handicraft. This communication has helped preserve the Faroese food culture that has come under pressure from imported goods.
NORDIC FOOD DESTINATION: Gimburlombini
The creative and innovative café on the island of Nólsoy, called Gimburlombini, uses locally-produced resources in their food. They have included local villagers in their project, creating a complete tourist experience, such as when tourists are invited to go foraging with the chefs.
NORDIC FOOD FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH: Ein dagur á grynnuni (Faroe Islands Seafood Festival)
The Faroe Islands Seafood Festival highlights the abundant resources found in the ocean surrounding the 18 islands. The food festival, which is run by several dozen volunteers, serves small serving to thousands of people for free, giving everyone a chance to try Faroese seafood – in many cases unusual seafood that one normally would not have the chance to try. Children and young people are given the chance to taste, touch and learn about the islands’ most important natural resource up close and personal.
NORDIC FOOD FOR MANY (no nominee from the Faroes)
Embla, launched by six agricultural organisations, aims to strengthen a shared Nordic culinary identity and to increase interest in Nordic food outside the region. The participating countries are the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and the Aland Islands.
This year’s Embla awards ceremony takes place in Reykjavik on 1 June.
Words: Levi Hanssen
This article was originally published on Faroeislands.fo