Dinner in the Faroe Islands: redefining remarkable
I have dined at countless restaurants in New York and parts of the world, from barely known spots to Michelin starred restaurants and those on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, in search of a remarkable experience. But what is it that makes a dining experience remarkable? What makes it stand out from all the rest? To a large extent, I believe that answer is subjective. Unfortunately, competition, review forums and the various ranking systems have collectively distorted our judgement.
Last year, I read a brief write-up about an innovative restaurant in the Faroe Islands, an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark. Volcanic eruptions formed the islands over millions of years creating magnificent mountains and valleys lush with greenery. Unfortunately, the terrain and climate make for a challenging agricultural environment. Fishing is the major economic driver. There are 70,000 adorable Faroese sheep and only 50,000 people inhabiting the islands so wool, dairy and lamb are also important export products.
The restaurant, called Koks, was the first to introduce the world to the peculiar tastes of typical Faroese cuisine by way of a gastronomic experience. After having dined at Koks, I now define “remarkable” as a function of cuisine plus experience.
Cuisine Cuisine refers to the style and method of cooking characteristic of a particular region. It’s the relationship between food and culture. Cuisine almost always has historic, scientific and creative components. The ability to effectively spotlight these characteristics is step towards remarkable.
Faroese cuisine is a product of the environmental, cultural and economic impact of food in the region. It is composed of what we would consider unusual ingredients including fermented lamb, potatoes, dried whale meat, blubber and dried fish, to name a few. Drying and fermenting, historically used for preservation, are classic techniques that have held tradition.
Koks curates a meal into seventeen small courses each showcasing a specific ingredient. Almost all the ingredients are locally sourced on the islands. In fact, our seafood was fresh caught that morning by the staff of the restaurant. I would describe our meal as a journey of experiential learning about traditional locally sourced ingredients in a food-scarce environment. And every unusual course, paired with an eclectic wine, was delightful. That is what makes the cuisine remarkable.
Experience The experience part of the formula has many variables including geography, ambiance, staff engagement and attitudes, physical environment and general character of the restaurant. Together these evoke various emotions that create our perceptions of the dining experience. Those emotions should lead to the guest feeling special. This is the most personal and toughest part of achieving remarkable.
Koks sits in a remote part of the capital city, Torshavn, on the main island of Streymoy. It’s so remote that there is only one taxi company that can reliably get you there. The drop-off point is an isolated spot where two smiling young waiters wait to greet us with some pre-dinner snacks. We enter a tiny wooden food-drying shed, called a hjallur in Faroese, and have a seat at a small dining room. Alongside two other guests from Denmark, we enjoy beer, dried cod with fresh butter and a dried whale, blubber and potato hors d’oeuvre.
After our snacks, one waiter drives us to the entrance in an old-school jeep where the entire restaurant’s wait staff and team of 10 chefs greets us at the door. That gesture alone, something I’ve never experienced, is remarkable.
The restaurant is a cozy traditional black wooden Faroese house. The floor-to-ceiling wood interior is dimly lit and attic-like in appearance. The design is humble with simple wooden tables topped with subtle floral arrangements and benches lined with Faroese sheepskin throws, adding both style and comfort. The decor is minimalist yet elegant.
The service at Koks is warm and unpretentious. The staff are youthful and engaging. The waiters enthusiastically share knowledge about each course and wine pairing as a dialogue and not a presentation. Less a broadway production, more an interactive play. The experience felt intimate and genuine.
Food is incredibly personal. We connect with it based on our past experiences. Discarding the lists, stars and guides that inevitably bias your judgement may just lead to a clearer definition of “remarkable”. Koks redefined that definition for me. As an aspiring culinary entrepreneur, my expectations are unique. I crave learning, interaction and connection.
At the end of the meal, I wandered into the tiny kitchen where only two chefs remained. They invited me in and one took me on a tour of the cooking space – the kitchen, outdoor grill and hjallur. We casually chatted about world travel for a bit before she drove us and the remaining guests to the taxi pickup point and bid us farewell. I doesn’t get more special than that.
