Iceland review - 2016, Qupperneq 68

66 ICELAND REVIEW ICELAND REVIEW 67
The most popular item today is the cod head cooked in
chicken stock with dulse, served with potato salad and lovage.
While cod heads are often discarded, Gísli considers them
a valuable ingredient and is proud to reduce food waste by
putting them—and other underused ingredients—to use.
“We always try to use the whole [ingredient],” he explains. In
line with his philosophy of sustainability, he also believes in
supporting small producers and individuals who’ve been main-
taining old traditions. “We buy our smoked fish from [Lake]
Mývatn [in North Iceland]. There’s a guy there who’s been
making it for a very long time. We actually know how to smoke
fish, and could do it ourselves, but we’d rather support him.
Plus, he probably makes it a lot better than we ever could.”
Gísli’s inventive spirit also extends to the restaurant’s drinks
menu. With the help of an herbalist, he has designed a selec-
tion of cocktails featuring Icelandic herbs. “We got advice on
which herbs to use, where to pick them, how long to infuse
them, whether to use a hot or cold method.” One of the res-
taurant’s signature drinks is white ale with mead tea and wild
thyme.
Gísli completed his education in hotel and food studies in
Iceland in 2011. Before opening Matur og Drykkur in January
2015, he worked in New York, the French Alps and at Dill,
in Reykjavík. He also runs Slippurinn in his hometown of
Vestmannaeyjar. With his latest venture receiving rave reviews,
the future certainly looks bright for this young chef. *
FOOD
Gísli Matthías Auðunsson, head chef and owner of
Matur og Drykkur.