From Fjords To Fine Dining: Inside The Rise Of Greenlandic Cuisine

Forbes

24-04-2025

Greenland cuisine is making it's mark in the culinary world.
There's a particular thrill in traveling to the ends of the Earth. But for those heading to Greenland with HX Expeditions, that thrill now comes with a plate of reindeer carpaccio and a glass of Arctic berry beer. Beginning May 24, 2025, the world's longest-running expedition cruise company will launch a new culinary initiative designed to introduce guests to Greenland's landscapes and its largely unsung gastronomic traditions.
At the helm of the program is Inunnguaq Hegelund, a celebrated Greenlandic chef who's been championing his homeland's cuisine long before it was buzzworthy. To him, food is more than sustenance. It's heritage. It's climate. It's survival. 'Greenlandic cuisine is deeply connected to nature, tradition, and sustainability,' he said. 'This initiative allows us to tell these stories through food.'
And stories, it turns out, abound in Greenlandic cooking. Traditionally, the cuisine developed out of necessity. There were no olive groves, vineyards, wheat fields, or dairy farms. What existed was the sea, the ice, the wind, and the animals that endured them. As a result, Greenlandic fare is grounded in what the land gives—and gives sparingly. It's a cuisine of resilience: dried fish and whale blubber, reindeer meat and snow crab, herbs foraged during the short burst of Arctic summer. But in the hands of today's Greenlandic chefs, these age-old ingredients are being reimagined into something both rooted and revelatory.
That's the spirit HX wants to bring aboard its ships. Guests will not only taste Greenland—they'll meet the people behind the flavors. Hegelund will be joined throughout the season by a rotating cast of Greenland's most exciting culinary talents, each offering their own interpretation of what it means to cook in and for this place.
Laasi Biilmann, a rising star in the region and recipient of Greenland's Chef of the Year and Innovator Award, will be aboard from May 31 to August 15. Biilmann is known for applying modern Nordic techniques to native ingredients. Expect dishes that blend elegance with primal roots: musk ox tartare with spruce oil or cod paired with seaweed and fermented crowberries. It's fine dining that still smells faintly of saltwater and driftwood.
Following him is Eli Nuka Johansson, who'll be sailing from August 31 to September 27. Johansson brings a playful, global sensibility to Greenlandic staples—using local ingredients like capelin and ptarmigan in ways that draw from both Asian and Mediterranean influences. His style is unexpected but never gimmicky. Every bite feels like a small act of cultural translation.
Also joining the lineup is Jørgine Tobiassen, who takes a more purist approach. With a focus on hyperlocal produce and sustainable sourcing, her dishes are often simple but deeply evocative—think pickled angelica with char roe or pan-seared reindeer loin with Arctic thyme. She'll be on board the MS Spitsbergen from July 29 to August 11, offering guests a chance to experience Greenland through her lens: fresh, pared back, and undeniably personal.
HX is committing to sourcing at least 30% of its food and beverage offerings from local and regional Greenlandic suppliers to support this onboard transformation. That means the fish was likely pulled from nearby waters, the microgreens grown in Arctic greenhouses, and the meat harvested under centuries-old traditions. Even the drinks are local: HX has partnered with Qajaq Brewery, founded in 2015, to serve its small-batch Greenlandic beers as part of the all-inclusive beverage program. Made with glacial water and local botanicals, the beers are an extension of the same ethos—craft, connection, and a deep reverence for place.
'We are incredibly proud to be working alongside Inunnguaq and other local chefs to bring the tastes of Greenland to our guests,' said Stefan Engl, VP of Hotel Operations at HX Expeditions. 'This partnership is not just about food; it's about sharing Greenland's deep cultural heritage through its flavors. By sourcing ingredients locally and collaborating with community suppliers, we're creating a truly authentic culinary experience that highlights the unique beauty of Greenland.'
It's a bold move in an industry where lobster buffets and Caesar salads still reign. But then again, Greenland has never been about doing what's expected. It's a place where traditions run deep, nature sets the menu, and food—perhaps more than any view—lingers.
So yes, come for the glaciers. But stay for the dried halibut. And the stories that come with it.