Hákon Már Örvarsson

The Climb

His route runs through named kitchens, not vague milestones. Nordica Hotel came first, where Hákon Már Örvarsson served as executive chef until 2007. That period helped establish the measured, ingredient-led approach that would follow him. He then moved to Vox Restaurant in Reykjavik, taking on the role that defines his present work. The sequence is direct: hotel kitchen, then restaurant floor, with each step narrowing the focus onto the produce and landscape that remain central to his thinking.

Today

At the restaurant, the discipline is local produce and direct cooking. The work avoids flourish for its own sake and relies instead on confidence in the ingredient. Hákon Már Örvarsson puts it as a practical question: “What can I do with what I have?” That is not a slogan. It is a working brief, and it explains how the kitchen can take what is close at hand and turn it into something rooted, clean, and composed.

Signature

Hákon's signature dishes include Sea bass and truffled langoustines and fennel sauce. Read as technique, the plate is about precision and balance: seafood kept clear, richness used in measure, and a sauce that supports rather than covers. It is a composition that depends on timing and restraint, with each part left recognizable.

In Their Words “I like to cook the local produce, quite simply: the beautiful fish or the lamb that we have. I just prepare it in a modern fashion.” Those lines describe a kitchen working from place rather than abstraction. The food is local, but it is not treated as static tradition. Hákon Már Örvarsson presents Iceland in a current form, pared back and aligned with what guests come looking for.

Recognition

Hákon's honors include Bocuse d'Or Bronze (2001).