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Climate Action Chef at Iceland Summit
Forage and cook at Iceland's northern most tip for the Future Food Institute and United Nations climate action warriors?
​
YES!!
I reason that if we're all underwater, everything else we love and advocate for it, well, sunk too, right?
In the summer of 2019, I rocked snow boots into JFK airport in 90 degree weather to get on a plane to a place that will surely stay with me forever, and let's just say, it was a VIBE.
Iceland was epic in the non exaggerated use of the word. Literally, epic and equally grand in its challenges. My favourite.
There wasn't a single extra resource to draw from, things simply aren't available. I had to LEARN fast and it was the best. I was forced farther outside of my comfort zones in this unforgiving landscape than I can remember and am incredibly grateful for the experience and those who were with me.
We talked fish farms, whales, melting glaciers.
It's all really really real and epic and confusing, and yet in reflection - very grounding.
Besides some algae that tastes like black truffle, the things I packed home in my bag are this:
ONE. We follow far too many unsustainable patterns in the creation of food (yes, yes we know already), but it's absolutely my/our responsibility to deeply consider every choice while keeping each other accountable to doing the very best we can in service to this planet and it's people
Climate Action Chef at Iceland Summit
Forage and cook at Iceland's northern most tip for the Future Food Institute and United Nations climate action warriors?
​
YES!!
I reason that if we're all underwater, everything else we love and advocate for it, well, sunk too, right?
In the summer of 2019, I rocked snow boots into JFK airport in 90 degree weather to get on a plane to a place that will surely stay with me forever, and let's just say, it was a VIBE.
Iceland was epic in the non exaggerated use of the word. Literally, epic and equally grand in its challenges. My favourite.
There wasn't a single extra resource to draw from, things simply aren't available. I had to LEARN fast and it was the best. I was forced farther outside of my comfort zones in this unforgiving landscape than I can remember and am incredibly grateful for the experience and those who were with me.
We talked fish farms, whales, melting glaciers.
It's all really really real and epic and confusing, and yet in reflection - very grounding.
Besides some algae that tastes like black truffle, the things I packed home in my bag are this:
ONE. We follow far too many unsustainable patterns in the creation of food (yes, yes we know already), but it's absolutely my/our responsibility to deeply consider every choice while keeping each other accountable to doing the very best we can in service to this planet and it's people.
TWO. Aquaculture isn't the problem. People's lack of rumour and responsibility around it is. Don't blame the innovation. Blame the sycophants using it for greed.
THREE. I don't have any kids, but I can't imagine the next generations not being able to experience the absolute wonder and beauty I have been able to in this life. At this rate, they will not be able to. Period.
FOUR. I live Iceland, the people's resilience and work ethic is second to none.
FIVE. There's one planet, we're all on it and if we can't figure out a way to work together it's going to be next to impossible to do what's necessary.
Forage and fish all day.
Feed friends food from fire all night.
Fuck I love cooking.
Roasted "Warrior" Shrimp, Red "Truffle" Algae, Salmon Rose Paste, Candied Kelp with Icelandic Sea Salt, Warrior Roe.
Simply, this dish is "by catch" not registered on any database and seaweed a couple of fun ways served on community hall plates at the United Nations Future Food Summit in Iceland on some community hall plates that go HARD.
I made a bunch of plates with two of my favourite cooks in a community hall on the Westernmost Tip of the Western Fjords for wonderful friends, new and old, all aligned with impacting the health of our planet in a major and urgent way.
Everything was foraged, fished and finished within a few miles of the hall it was served in, most of it by hand and on the same day we prepared it.
And then one day, in the middle of no where, I ran out of gas. Because I was supposed to.
Frankly, Iceland had me stunned to distraction. Slipping mid-conversation, wandering away, staring. For context, the urgency of the work and company were riveting; the whole experience a bunch of my "why's" compounding to drive action at the same time.
But, the light!
One more thing.
Fuck. I love people.
