NFFF Restaurant of the Year 26 Winners Iceland Study Trip

Winner, Winner, Many Icelandic Dinners!

Once again, Björgvin Þór Björgvinsson, Head of fisheries and food and Alisa Catherine Silveira, Project Manager, PR and Marketing Communications for Business Iceland used their great knowledge and expertise to put together a “money-can’t-buy” Kuoni-style trip to the Land of Fire and Ice for the winners and runners-up of the NFFF National Fish & Chip Awards Fish & Chip 2026 Restaurant of the Year category. As usual this turned out to be another memorable venture into the Island and the world of fishing in this mystical location in the North Atlantic. I was one of the extremely lucky travellers invited along to learn more and hopefully to encourage more fish & chip restaurant owners to get involved in this prestigious award.

The adventure began with participants meeting for a flight from London Heathrow to Keflavik to be greeted by Björgvin and Alisa before climbing aboard the minibus for the start of 4 day adventure.

The first stop was the infamous fishing town of Grindavik on the southwest corner of Iceland. In 2023, a volcanic eruption forced 3,700 people to be evacuated overnight. Now, after some deemed it a “ghost town” and a year of abandonment, it is now returning to life. The group were treated to a guided tour of the town to see the destruction caused by the lava flows and the fissures leaving many buildings destroyed and uninhabitable. We met  Gunnlaugur Eiríksson (Grindavík Seafood) and Óskar Gunnarsson (Þorbjörn) who described how they have re-built their fishing operation in the town and how the fall-out from the volcano affected the area.( https://www.grindavikseafood.is/)

Time for lunch and the group were treated to delicious Lobster Soup and Icelandic Breads at the harbourside restaurant, Bryggjan Netagerðin, in a building which originally housed a net making shop servicing the local fishing industry.

Back on the minibus, we headed to the World-famous Blue Lagoon Hot Springs for an afternoon session of pampering and relaxation in the iconic blue water which is made up of 70% ocean water and 30% freshwater, enriched with silica, algae, and minerals. This unique geothermal combination is found nowhere else on the planet and is one of the main reasons the Blue Lagoon has become one of Iceland’s most famous attractions.

But the water is more than just beautiful to look at. Warm, mineral-rich, and skin-healing, it’s known for leaving visitors feeling relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Combined with the surrounding black lava landscape, it creates a bathing experience found nowhere else on earth.

Back on our transport, we headed towards the capital Reykjavik for a pit-stop at Issi Fish & Chips (https://issi.is/english/). A finalist in the 2026 International operator category in the National Fish & Chip Awards. Owned and operated by the “larger than life” husband and wife team, Hjördís and Issi, and we were treated to Cod fillet, Cod Chin and Chips all supplied by Þorbjörn of Grindavik.

After a group photograph with Hjördís and Issi we headed for Reykjavik Domestic Airport for the flight north to Ísafjörður in the Westfjords region of north west Iceland. A 45 minute flight with an unforgettable landing at the head of the fjord.

Checking in at the Hotel Ísafjörður Torg in the heart of the town, we set off for Beer Tasting at a local brewery named Dokkan, the first Westfjords craft brewery that brews high-quality Westfjords beer where we were given a tour of the facilities and an opportunity to taste the product.

For dinner, we strolled through the picturesque town to Tjöruhúsið, a renowned seafood restaurant housed in one of the town’s oldest buildings, the restaurant is a celebration of local tradition, fresh ingredients and the rich fishing heritage of the region. Serving the freshest catch of the day the menu changes daily depending on what the sea has provided, we were treated to a very special evening by entertaining staff with a delicious buffet including the “all you can eat” famous fish soup, pan-fried wolffish with butter and herbs and other local exquisite grilled fish salads and vegetables, all prepared with care and creativity. The chefs allow diners to not just the taste but also know the story behind each dish, making every meal a memorable experience.

After a welcome night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast we boarded our second minibus for the long drive through the fjords and mountains to Patreksfjörður, stopping at the Bolafjall Viewing Platform, built by the Radat station built by the NATO and the US but now controlled by the Icelandic coast guard service. The site offers unbelievable views over Ísafjarðardjúp the largest fjord system in the Westfjords. The steep and rugged access road to the mountain top (2086 feet) is generally open only from mid-June-September so we were very lucky to be able to take in the magnificent views.

On we travelled to visit Kerecis (www.kerecis.com), yet another example of the 100% Fish programme that we first learned of from Dr Alexandra Leeper and the team at Ocean Cluster in Reykjavik on a previous trip.

Kerecis is pioneering the use of fish skins and fatty acids in the globally expanding field of cellular therapy. This includes developing, manufacturing and distributing patented fish-skin medical devices that support soft tissue regeneration in the body and this is being used to treat wounds, burns and other complex acute and chronic wounds including diabetic, venous, trauma, and surgical wounds. Thousands of patients of all incomes, cultures and races have benefited from treatment with Kerecis products, including casualties from the recent Crans-Montana, Switzerland nightclub fire where many people suffered severe burns.

The fish skin used comes from wild Atlantic cod, caught from a sustainable fish stock in pristine Icelandic waters and is processed using renewable energy.

Onwards we journeyed towards Patreksfjörður, stopping for a town tour at Suðureyri with local foodies to see the colourful houses and communal cod drying racks for locals to use to preserve some of their catch. It was very interesting to learn how locals live in these remote towns where they can be cut off from the world for long periods of the year. We were served a welcome tasty Fish & Chip lunch at the Fisherman Hotel in the town.

As with any trip organised by Bjorgvin and Alisa, the journey begins to get better and better!

The next stop on the epic journey was at the magnificent Dynjandi waterfall, the biggest waterfall in the Westfjords and truly deserves to be called the Jewel of the Westfjords.

It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, at least the most majestic and cascades some 100 meters, looking exactly like a beautiful bridal veil, 30 meters wide at the top and widening to 60 meters at the bottom. Our intrepid group set off on the testing climb to the top past the six other smaller waterfalls!

The scenic climb with tricky paths, is about 200 meters to the largest w13aterfall at the top where we all stopped for another group photograph.

Onwards around the many fingers of the Westfjords, we arrived at Tálknafjörður for a visit to Nordic Fish Leather (www.nordicfishleather.com), yet another example of how the Icelandic nation is optimising its use of its natural resources. We were given a tour of the

facility by the owner, another fascinating and eye-opening example of the ingenuity being shown by the fishing and associated industries.

Fish skin is a by-product from the fishing and fish farming industry. After the fish has been harvested it is filleted, skinned and cut into portions for the retail and catering markets in Europe and around the world. Once removed the skins most often end up as waste. Nordic Fish Leather and its predecessors have since over 20 years worked on solutions to turn this neglected high-quality raw material into valuable product. The results can today be seen in outstanding products made by both individuals and large designer companies.

Iceland is known for its harvest of the country’s renewable energy sources. The two main sources are hydroelectric and geothermal power. Nordic Fish Leather uses only renewable energy for its production of fish leather. 100% of the electricity supply is from a Hydro Electric power plant. The warm water derives from hot springs close to the town where the factory is located. The total power usage is therefore CO2 neutral.

All of Salmon and Cod fish leather provided from fisheries and farming industries that have third party sustainably accreditation. For the Cod, this accreditation is MSC certification (www.msc.org) and for salmon ASC certification (www.asc-aqua.org ). These two standards are known around the world as the leading sustainability standards for fish.

Unlike Salmon and Cod leather the Wolffish leather does not have any scales or scale pockets. Due to this the leather has a smooth and even surface. However, and because the Spotted Wolffish is a wild deep-sea fish that lives on a rocky seabed, it often has scars on the skin that give the leather a very distinct character. The most distinctive aspect of the Wolffish leather, however, is the irregular spots that are very apparent on the leather unless dyed black. These spots have led some people to call the fish “Leopard Fish”.

The next stop was a very welcome with a soak in the Pollurinn Hot Springs. Well off the beaten tourist track, these thermal baths, carefully maintained by the residents of Tálknafjörður, welcome any visitor to bathe completely free of charge and we joined locals to enjoy these relaxing geothermal features.

The complex is composed of 3 small pools of hot water heated to between 36 and 40°C (96 to 104ºF) by a natural spring. Because of their shallow depth, the best way to relax at Pollurinn is to sit and enjoy the hot springs while you take in the panoramic views of the Tálknafjörður Fjord - and all for free!

               Pollurinn Hot Springs

Relaxed, we finally reached our hotel for the night, the Fosshótel Westfjords in Patreksfjörður ready for dinner at Stúkuhúsið which offers an authentic Icelandic dining experience. The menu was superb with wild mushroom soup followed by Salmon with crushed nuts, sweet potato, salad and mild wasabi cream.

A fishing trip had been arranged with Grimur Ósmann Þórhallsdóttir on his 11m boat, ÁN BA77, who took us to the far side of the fjord and equipped the motley crew with fishing rods. There was great excitement and elation as a number of large cod and saithe were landed. Andrew (Crooks) nearly landed a Blue Atlantic Wolffish, but was (I think) quite relieved when he saw its teeth and it slipped off the hook at the last minute!

Grimmer was explaining how these local boats venture out of the fjords towards Greenland for about 20 miles and have an annual quota or 754 tonnes that they are allowed to catch. He also showed videos of the wildlife that he often encounters whilst fishing.

Day 3, Fishermen’s Day, and after breakfast, we embarked on a walking tour of Patreksfjörður with Guörún Anna from Westfjords Adventures, during which she told of the history of the town and introduced the team to fisherman Matthías Bergsson (aka the Icelandic Forrest Gump), who throughout his career had worked as a lumberjack in America and spent 10 years working on Pollock fishing boats out of Dutch Harbour, Alaska. He explained how the harbour worked for the large and small boats that land their fish there.

During the town walk, we visited a house that housed a museum to French fisherman and the curator insisted on dressing Andrew as a French fisherman!

Fishermen’s Day is celebrated in all harbours in Iceland, when the whole town celebrates and no fishing boats are out fishing.

There was Kid’s fishing contest along the harbour wall and then there was a Rowing Competition using Icelandic versions similar to the Cornish gig. Crewed by six rowers and helmed by a cox, it is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.

The original purpose of the Cornish pilot gig was as a general work boat, and the craft was used for taking pilots out to incoming vessels off the Atlantic. In those days the race would be the first gig to get their pilot on board a vessel (often those about to run aground on rocks) got the job, and hence the payment.

Our intrepid team assembled a crew, wearing matching Oddi T shirts, to compete for the 200 metre race in the harbour and their first race was against a team of fishermen. Surprisingly, our team won the first race, but VAR intervened when the fishermen lost their rudder early in the race! In the re-run, our team were narrowly beaten and the Fishermen moved on to the next race against a team of local women.

Fishermen’s Day celebrations continued throughout the afternoon with a fish barbecue lunch, iron man competitions and music provided by local musicians.

Fishermens Day Barbecue

Then most of the townsfolk boarded the 43m long liner fishing vessel Núpur for a short trip out into the fjord to watch the Icelandic Coastguards demonstrating helicopter recovery of people from the sea and also allowing access to all areas of the ship.

Núpur

For dinner, we were invited as guests to the family home of the Magnússon’s where we were royally entertained and served a delicious buffet of grilled cod and Icelandic lamb. The evening continued with a short walk to a garden party with live entertainment before we ventured to the local Community Hall for the highlight of the day, the Fishermen’s Ball. This was THE night for the locals to let their hair down with disco lights and a live band belting out all of the favourites. Everyone had a great time with the event winding up at 2.30am – but it was still light outside!

The next morning, checking out, the minibus headed back on its long journey to Ísafjörður for the evening return flight to Reykjavik. Around the Westfjord “fingers” we drove to reach Látrabjarg, Iceland’s largest bird cliffs, famed as being the most westernmost point of Europe. It is a home to seabirds in unbelievable numbers. The cliffs are 14km long and up to 440 m high. We got to see, close up, nesting birds including Puffins, Razorbills, Gannets and Guillemots amongst others. Be careful on the edge as it is a very long drop if you don’t have wings! Yet another group photograph opportunity!

Continuing the epic journey, we reached the Brjánslækur family sheep farm where we were treated to lamb soup, meatballs and local cheese. There is a small museum of local fossils. This is where Hrafna Flóki who was famous for giving the country the name Iceland over 1,000 years ago. The family also collect Eider Duck down from the nests on the farm’s own island just off-shore where they keep some of their sheep.

The history of eiderdown harvesting is closely linked to Iceland’s history. Eider ducks have co-existed with Icelanders since the 9th century when the island was settled. In 1847, the eider became a fully protected species.

A unique relationship has developed between farmers and eiders. They trust each other.

In spring the farmers prepare for the arrival of the eider. They clean the nesting area. At nesting time the female eider sheds the down from her breast. This exposes her body warmth to the eggs while nesting. When it’s safe for the eiders, farmers carefully collect the down.

Worldwide, just 4 tonnes of eiderdown is collected every year and some 85% of that originates in Iceland. Considering that this global yield of eiderdown is sufficient to produce just 3,000 duvets, it is clear just how rare and how valuable eiderdown is as a commodity.

The next stop was at Bryggjukaffi, Flateyri, for coffee and waffles with local jam and cream. Touring the town, we visited ‘the oldest original store in Iceland’, founded in 1914, the Brothers Eyjolfsson bookstore. We visited the memorial to the October 26, 1995 avalanche, which destroyed 29 homes and buried 45 people, which resulted in 20 fatalities. Since then, a deflecting dam has been built to protect the village from any further avalanches.

On 14 January 2020, two large avalanches hit the avalanche dam above the village. The first avalanche slid down the right side of the dam and to the ocean where it caused a tsunami that hit the harbour and sank 6 of 7 boats located there. The second avalanche slid down the left side of the dam before spilling over it and hitting a house with four occupants. Three of the occupants were able to escape the house through a window, while the fourth one was rescued from the snow around 30 minutes later by ICE-SAR members.

Arriving back in Ísafjörður we were invited aboard the 58m trawler, Julius Geirmunsson for a presentation on the bridge by Kristjan G. Joakimsson, production manager at HG.

The principal activity is cod fishing as the company is located close to some of Iceland’s most productive fishing grounds just outside of the Western Fjords. This is especially the case with the iced fish vessels that typically land twice a week and thereby ensure that the shore processing plant has fresh raw material all year round. Even though cod is the principal catch, other species are important also, and represent almost half of the company’s catch quota. Haddock, pollock, plaice, wolffish, and ocean perch are also plentiful in the fishing area, as is Greenland turbot which is found in deeper waters west and north of Iceland. Mackerel and herring are also found further from the Western Fjords in areas west, south and east of the mainland. In spite of the bountiful fishing grounds boats sometimes have to seek their catch further away from the Westfjords when weather and migratory patterns of the catch dictate. Inshore prawns are harvested by smaller boats fishing in the waters of Isafjordur.

Several advantages come from the ability to harvest the deep waters of nearby fishing grounds with trawl vessels. Less time and fuel is used in travel to and from the fishing grounds, meaning a smaller carbon footprint, while boats can provide processing plants with a continuous supply of raw material. This also enables the company to provide foreign customers, both in Europe and America with regular deliveries of chilled fresh seafood.

Returning to Ísafjörður airport, we boarded the flight back to Reykjavik for our last night at the Hotel Marina down by the harbour.

Our final dinner was a very special occasion with a private dining room at Fiskmarkaðurinn (www.fiskmarkadurinn.is), a modern Icelandic restaurant with an Asian twist. The menu consisted of a superb and tasty range of items including sushi, sashimi, beef, scallops and salmon all followed by a delicious chocolate, fresh fruit sorbet and ice cream dessert. All in all, magnificent way to end what was an unforgettable journey.

Private dining room at Fiskmarkaðurinn

On the following morning we checked out of the hotel for the journey to Keflavik airport for our fight back to the UK along with so many new friendships and memories.

I hope that reading this encourages Fish & Chip Restaurant owners to enter the 2027 NFFF Fish & Chip Awards as this priceless educational trip sponsored by Business Iceland and Seafood from Iceland could be one of your rewards in 2027.

Thank you to both Bjorgvin and Alisa for all of their expertise hard work arranging this adventure and thank you for inviting me to join you all.         Athol