Iceland Hosts World’s Largest Supper Club

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ –

Hundreds dine at unique culinary event in Reykjavik

This weekend, the country of Iceland hosted the world’s largest supper club. Visitors
from around the globe dined at a hidden location in the fashionable Old Harbor. Guests
were hosted by Inspired by Iceland in conjunction with Reykjavik’s Food & Fun Festival.

(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130304/600354 )

A brigade of leading chefs from the Icelandic culinary team including the
award-winning Stefan Vietharsson of Icelandair Hotels, took the guests on a gastronomy
journey, cooking up a feast of delicious cuisine from all four regions of Iceland. Diners
enjoyed a feast of salted cod, Icelandic shrimp, locally sourced lamb and an array of
colourful salads and vegetables.

Over 300 guests were welcomed by Einar Orn Benediktsson, head of Reykjavik’s
Department of Culture and Tourism and former member of Icelandic post-punk band The
Sugarcubes.

The entertainment was produced by award-winning theatre company Vesturport and
included special performances from The Icelandic Sailor School choir and a sing-along with
legendary Icelandic cowboy Valgeir Gudjonsson. Ragnhildur Gisladottir and Helgi Svavar
also collaborated on a song written exclusively for the evening.

In addition to tourists, guests included renowned chef Siggi Hall, Hogni Egilsson,
frontman of Icelandic band Hjaltalin, and an array of visiting foreign foodies.

The Supper Club took place on the same weekend as Reykjavik’s Food & Fun Festival
which ran from the 27th February – 2nd March. The annual festival is a chance for the
world’s best chefs to cook their own exclusive menus at Reykjavik’s best restaurants
before battling it out to be crowned ‘Food & Fun Chef of the Year’.

Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director, Marketing & Visit Iceland at Promote Iceland, says:
“Food and music are at the heart of Icelandic culture and we like to welcome visitors to
experience both with open arms. It’s such a pleasure to have been able to share Iceland’s
first ever Supper Club with Icelanders and visitors from around the world.

Hundreds of tourists registered to attend the Supper Club via an online registration
page on the Inspired by Iceland website [http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com ]. For a chance
to be at the table tourists we’re asked to contribute an alternative name for Iceland,
with the best suggestions receiving an invite to the event.

The Supper Club acts as part of a wider campaign from Inspired by Iceland welcoming
submissions for a name that better describes the island. Guests at the event we’re
encouraged to share their own names and descriptions of the country, which will be shared
on Inspired by Iceland’s social channels.

To celebrate the Food & Fun Festival, Inspired by Iceland have shared some of the best
Icelandic recipes from the chefs involved in the festival on the blog
[http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com/blog ] have been tweeting live updates from Reykjavik
with the hashtag #foodandfunfest.

Event Facts

        The food took a team of eight chefs six hours to prepare.

        Ingredients included 30 whole cod, 40 legs of lamb and thousands of shrimp.

        Tables were laid with 600 sets of cutlery, 600 glasses and 140 tablecloths

        The full culinary team included:

        Stefan Vietharsson - chef Icelandair Hotels

        Johannes steinn Johannesson - chef Reykjavik Marina (slippbarinn)

        Haflidi Halldorsson - President iclandic Chef association 

        Odinn Birgir Arnasson - slippbarinn

        Sindri Geir Gudmundsson - slippbarinn

        Olafur Stefansson - slippbarinn

Further Info

In August 2012 the Inspired by Iceland campaign asked people a simple question: “What
would you name Iceland if this was your first glimpse? _ _ _ _ Land?” and in just three
weeks over 10,000 responded.

Many of those who contributed suggested that the name Iceland was misrepresentative
and that another name may better reflect the country.

A naming page is visible on the http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com website and the
most popular contributions can be viewed along with the latest videos and images from the
campaign.

The conversation will also be available on the Inspired by Iceland Facebook and
Twitter pages.

Chef Tom Sellers, known for his time at Noma and now gaining notoriety with his own
restaurant, Story, visited the Icelandic regions in 2012 as part of the Food ‘n’ Fun fest
to explore Icelandic cuisine.

Tom Sellers, Head Chef, Story, says: “I am exceedingly intrigued by Icelandic cooking.
Traditional delicacies are clearly still important to their food culture but Icelandic
food has taken a modern turn. They have access to some of the freshest ingredients in the
world and the cooking is simply outstanding.”

Notes to editors

The Inspired by Iceland campaign is a public private act – between the Icelandic
government, City of Reykjavik, Icelandair, the Travel Industry Association and the
Federation of Trade & Services. Around 130 companies are involved. Promote Iceland is the
developer and the executive of the campaign.

Inspired by Iceland http://www.inspiredbyiceland.com

Promote Iceland http://www.promoteiceland.is

Islenska http://www.islenska.is

The Brooklyn Brothers http://www.thebrooklynbrothers.com

    Photo: 

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130304/600354

SOURCE Inspired by Iceland