Culinary stars at The Food & Fun Festival

Now is the time that foodies in Iceland can rejoice because the time of The Food & Fun Food Festival is upon us. A large number of well-known guest chefs who have been making a big impact in the world are here to play with Icelandic ingredients, which are artfully mixed with their traditions and ingredients. There is no question that there will be some unique food experiences here, which will bring back some good memories for fans of the festival. It can be said that the Food & Fun Food Festival will be a stellar experience this year.

The festival runs until Sunday and now is the opportunity for all foodies to taste exciting new dishes while supporting the food festival, which promotes and elevates the Icelandic food culture to a higher level.

Here you can see a list of participating restaurants and guest chefs that will be there.

All dining reservations are made through Dineout .

Apótek Kitchen Bar

Oscar de Matos and Nadina Baumgartner will be guest chefs at the Apótek Kitchen Bar . Matos is originally from Barcelona but was raised in both Spain and Portugal. In recent years, he has become one of the pioneers of the Lucerne-based food scene, with one of his most recognizable jobs being at the legendary restaurant "El Bulli". His cuisine is a colorful combination of his growing up in Spain, and the influence of his travels to the more eastern parts of the world. At 38 he was recognized by GaultMillau, one of the world's most respected food magazines, where he was awarded one of the highest ratings the magazine gives and a review praising his immense talent and his path to perfection.

His wife, Nadine, is also his business partner and takes care of everything that happens in front of the kitchen. She has been a restaurant manager and has been welcoming guests to their restaurants, most recently at “Maihöfli”.

Brút Restaurant

Jesper Krabbe will be the guest chef at Brút restaurant this year. Krabbe is a good acquaintance of the Food & Fun festival, and this is the fourth time he has participated. On two occasions he came as co-chef to Paul Cunn­ing­ham of Henne Kir­ke­by Krå, and on one occasion he came on his own and stood out as the Food & Fun chef of the year. He returned in 2023, and his menu was widely considered one of the best at the festival that year. Jesper's menu is mostly about choosing first-class ingredients from a local environment. Jesper's menu is light and modern, with simplicity at the heart of it. The focus is on good, powerful flavours, and Jesper has a full understanding of a wide range of flavour combinations.

Duck & Rose

Jesse Miller will showcase his art in the kitchen at Duck & Rose . Miller is a chef at the Pennyroyal Station in Mt. Ranier, D.C., and a well-known participant in the Food & Fun Festival. His background is in the arts sector, where he was on his way to becoming a professional artist when he was drawn to food and creating in the kitchen. Since then, the artist in him has been able to expand into the kitchen, where he was behind the hugely popular restaurant Bar Pillar in Washington D.C.

Miller's cuisine at Bar Pillar draws inspiration from the nearby countryside and suppliers, with a focus on fresh, seasonal, and local products. The dishes are simple, yet adventurous, and change in line with the variety of foods available, which is just part of the adventure.

Brass­erie Ei­ríks­son

Jakob Lyngsø will be at the Eiríksson Brasserie . Lyngsø is on the move to become one of the most talented young chefs in Denmark and has recently become the head chef at the highly popular Bistro Boheme in Copenhagen. At Bistro Boheme guests can enjoy the fusion of French culinary traditions and Danish warmth, and the place is a perfect venue for Lyngsø's meticulous approach and new perspective on traditional French dishes.

Bistro Boheme opened in 2007 and has been popular and successful in Copenhagen from the outset. The brain behind Bistro Boheme, and the driving force behind everything that happens there, is the unique and gifted chef Per Thøstesen. At Bistro Boheme, everything is about providing guests with a food experience of the highest quality, and a great emphasis is placed on excellent service. Bistro Boheme was selected as “Best Bistro Brasserie” in 2009, 2012, 2016 & 2020, “Restaurant Manager of the Year” in 2014 & 2020, “Wine List and Sommelier of the Year” in 2021 and “Waiter of the Year 2018”.

Finn­son Bistro

Tom Cook will be guest chef at Finnsson Bistro this year. Cook's journey began under the direction of respected chef Gary Rhodes, who soon led a Michelin-star restaurant in City Rhodes. He then refined his skills at Le Gavroche and The Capital Hotel, where he adopted the quiet leadership style of Michel Roux Jr. His path took him to Paris, where he added to his expertise in desserts. After Paris, Cook traveled to Sydney, where he took up the position of "sous chef" at Pier restaurant.

When he returned to London, Cook took over the head chef's job at the restaurant Tom Aikens and later Le Pont de la Tour, where he set up a remarkably popular culinary program. As head chef at Skylon, and more recently Smith & Wolensky, Cook continues to impress with his excellent cooking of premium steaks and his focus on excellent service.

The Fish Market

Victor Planas is the guest chef this year at the Fish Market , which he also attended last year. He is well known to many Icelanders who might know him from one of Tenerife’s finest restaurants, Kensei Contemporary Japanese at the Hotel Bahía del Duque, where he is the head chef and one of the owners. At Ken­sei, guests enjoy Planas’s expert knowledge of Japanese cuisine, combined with creativity and inspiration from the local food scene. Victor takes great care to use only the best ingredients available when creating dishes that honor both traditional and innovative Japanese cuisine. His dishes uniquely are a feast, both visually and for your palate.

Fröken Reykjavík

Henrik Jyrk will be the guest chef at Fröken Reykjavík restaurant. Jyrk is a highly regarded chef in his home city of Copenhagen, where he has been praised for combining traditional and modern culinary traditions that take inspiration from Nordic and Asian cuisine.

In his previous work, Jyrk has received many accolades. His restaurant KUL was selected “Best Bistro” in Denmark in 2014, and Naes was selected “Best Restaurant in Denmark outside Copenhagen.” He was also behind the restaurant IBU, which was best known for its Asian fusion food, and was named “Best Exotic Spicy Restaurant in Denmark” in 2018. Jyrk is twice the winner of Denmark’s most popular cooking competition “Sol over Gudhjem” and is also a regular guest on the morning TV show “Go Morgen Danmark.”

In his previous role as a chef at KUL, Jyrk was awarded several awards for his work, including Best Bistro in Denmark in 2014.

Grillmarkaðurinn

Robin Gill will be the guest chef at the Grillmarkaðurinn this year. Gill is an Irishman who started his career at La Stampa in Dublin. After that, he moved to London where he worked at Marco Pierre White's three-star restaurant, The Oak Room. After that he moved to Italy where he worked at the restaurant, Don Alfonso. After that adventure, he returned to London and worked with Raymond Blanc for several years. He is very impressed with Scandinavian kitchens and has spent time in kitchens like Noma in Copenhagen and Frantzén/Lindeberg in Stockholm.

Gill, along with his wife, Sarah Gill, is the founder of the Gill Soul Co., which is a chain of restaurants across London. Gill Soul Co. consists of a selection of restaurants, each with its unique characteristics. The chain's restaurants are the Italian restaurant Sorella in Clapham, Darby's, an oyster-bar, bakery and barbecue in Nine Elms, Rye by the Water, a bakery in Brentford, Bottle & Rye in Brixton, which draws inspiration from several Parisian bistros, Ruben's Reubens, a BBQ restaurant in Brixton, and Birch, a lifestyle hotel in Hertfordshire where all food is grown on the property.

In 2018, Gill published his first cookbook, ‘Larder’, which focuses on his ideas about ‘from farm to the plate’. He is also a pioneer of the legendary Blood Shot dinner clubs that recently opened for the public.

La Primavera Marshall House

Maurizio Bardotti will be the guest chef this year at La Primavera . Bardotti is an Italian chef from the region of Toskana. He started his career at historic restaurants around the region, where he developed a specialized knowledge of classic Italian food traditions. To further develop his skills, Bardotti worked at Michelin-starred restaurants around Italy, but also with a stop in France.

At the age of thirty, Bardotti was a head chef, and he was awarded his first Michelin star in 2015 and second in 2019. Now he runs the kitchen at Passodopopasso in Castellina in Chianti, owned by Rocca delle Macìe. Alongside that, Maurizio is preparing to open Oltre, a restaurant that promises great innovation in the dining experience.

Sumac

Michael Rafidi will be guest chef this year at Sumac . Rafidi is the head chef and owner of the restaurant Albi in Washington D.C. His food reflects a creative approach to traditional Arabic cuisine, using modern methods to take advantage of the best ingredients available in the local environment. Inspired by his family's roots in Ramallah, Palestine, and his grandparents' home cooking, Rafidi worked at many of the best restaurants in the United States before opening Albi in early 2020.

Rafidi was named chef of the year by Easter DC in 2017. He was chosen as one of the rising stars of 2018 and as one of the chefs of the year 2020 at the RAMMY Awards in Washington. In 2022 and 2023, he was named Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation in the US, which is considered by many to be the Oscar winner in the food and restaurant sector in that country. In May 2022, the restaurant Albi received its first Michelin star.

Sus­hi Social

Mattia Ricci will be the guest chef at Sushi Social this year. Ricci is the head chef at one of London's most popular restaurants, Sexy Fish, and has been in that position for the last 5 years. Ricci draws inspiration from his childhood when he spent a lot of time in the kitchen with his grandmothers. Ricci's food philosophy is very focused on trying to create something completely new and exciting from simple ingredients, and he has a good reputation for his innovative approach to classic dishes. Ricci mentions Björn Weiss-Berger as the person who has had the biggest influence on him as a chef, and he considers Ferran Adria, Massimo Bottura, and David Munoz as the chefs who have inspired him most in his career.

Sexy Fish is considered by many to be London’s coolest restaurant, but they’ve also opened up sexy fish restaurants in Miami and recently in Manchester. Sexy Fish restaurants are as well known for their look as they are for their cooking, but when it comes to designing the venues and the experience guests have, there is no cost spared.

Tres Locos

Hugo Orozco will be the guest chef at Tres Locos . Orzoco's culinary journey began at his family's store in Guadalajara, Mexico, where his childhood was shaped largely by experiences around food. Orzoco is mostly self-taught, and his first experience in the restaurant business was while serving at the restaurant's Naya Riviera, but he soon found himself in the restaurant kitchen.

Orozco later founded the restaurant La Slowteria in Guadalajara, where he took inspiration from the area's centuries-old culinary traditions and moved to a more modern setting. All the food sold at La Slowteria is sustainable and takes ingredients from the local environment. Orozco decided to take La Slowteria on a journey and opened the restaurant first in Tulum, and later in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, New York. In Brooklyn, he found his place and developed the restaurant into a place catering to city-dwellers who loved every taco he made. Now he's staying at the restaurant Cruz del Sur, where he focuses on home-like food where the colorful Mexican creativity is truly enjoyed.

Grand Brasserie

Cameron Reynolds will be the guest chef at Grand Brasserie this year. Reynolds is a British chef who works at the renowned London restaurant Hide. Hide is considered by many to be one of the best restaurants in London and has one Michelin star to confirm it. Before his start at Hide in September 2020, Reynolds had worked in restaurants around London, most notably South Place Hotel, L’Oscar London, and The Goring, and he worked within the Marlon Abela restaurant group that operated the Umu and Greenhouse restaurants in London’s Mayfair neighborhoods, both of which received 2 Michelin stars.

Skreið

Pedro Pena Bastos will be the guest chef at this year's restaurant Skreið . Bastos is one of the leading chefs in a new wave of Portuguese chefs. When he was just 24 years old, he became head chef at the restaurant Esporão in the town of Alentejo, where he showed great flair in using ingredients from the local area and was highly acclaimed for his local cuisine. Afterward, he was given the opportunity to open the restaurant Ceia, in Lisbon, a small 14-seat restaurant that was at the time on the list of the 50 best restaurants in the world.

Bastos recently took over the kitchen at Four Seasons Ritz in Lisbon, where he received a Michelin star after just 8 months on the job. Bastos can be found outside the kitchen, filming MasterChef, behind a drum set, or enjoying quality time with his family. Bastos is one of the most interesting chefs of his generation and has played a major role in bringing Portuguese food culture to the global stage.

Vox

Ricar­do Acquista is the guest chef this year at Vox . Acquista, an Argentine chef, has made his mark in the restaurant scene over 16 years. Recently, he opened two exciting new restaurants in the heart of Madrid, Rural, and Estimar, located close to each other. Acquista, in collaboration with his business partner, Rafa Zafra, has created a unique ambiance in these restaurants, combining the best of the sea and the land in the menu.

Acquista sharpened his skills under the guidance of culinary master Ferran Adrià, creator of the legendary El Bulli. Acquista has been around in many places in Spain, from Ibiza to Barcelona, and now he is staying in Madrid. In Rural and Estimar Acquista demonstrates his commitment to quality and innovation in food and he has established himself as one of the leaders of Spanish cuisine.

Brasserie Kársnes

Mik­ko Pakola is the guest chef at Brass­erie Kár­nes . Pakola is a Finnish chef who has made a name for himself in Turku, Finland, at the well-known restaurant Smör. With a distinguished career, including work in Michel­in kitchens like OLO in Helsinki, Pakola has proven himself to be one of the finest chefs in Finland. On his journey he has made many appearances, including being a member of the Finnish chefs’ national team from 2013 - 2023, and second in the Finnish Bocu­se d’Or. In 2024, Pakola was named “Head Chef of the Year” in Finland.

Pakola's culinary philosophy is rooted in his respect for nature and what it has to offer. He places great emphasis on the fact that each dish is an exciting interaction of different elements, where each ingredient is given a surprising advantage. Pakola has one of the most fun ways of creating complex, sophisticated methods in his cooking and offering guests an unforgettable culinary experience. Pakola is accompanied by "sous chef" Sivi Saarivita, who is the head pastry chef at the restaurant Smör. Before that, she worked at the restaurant Nokka.

OTO

The guest chefs at OTO are Jon­ath­an Morales and Sa­brina Gold­in. Morales is the head chef at the restaurant Car­boni’s in Paris. He began his career as Chef de Partie, but his talent and creativity were soon noticed and he worked hard until he took over as co-head chef at the restaurant Cant­ina in Paris, before moving to the position of head chef at Car­boni’s. As head chef, Morales has been a key player in shaping the experience at Car­boni’s by introducing his unique approach to mixing traditional cuisine with modern. Under his guidance, Car­boni’s has continued to evolve in various directions, and recently, the place changed gears and moved to Italian cuisine under the name Car­boni’s. The success of Car­boni’s and Morales has been well-managed and, in a short period, Morales has been able to make a name for himself as one of the most exciting chefs in the city of Paris.

With him is Sabrina Goldin, the owner and the brain behind the restaurant's look and the guests' experience. While Morales plays his art in the kitchen, you can find Goldin in the room keeping the party going and ensuring that everyone enjoys it to the fullest.