♪ ♪
KRISTEN: Okay, so, if
you can hear me over
the roar of the engine,
I am making my way to the
tippy topmost northern most
inhabited place on earth
where there are more
polar bears than
there are humans!
Like this is just wild.
Woo! Faster!
Throughout my career,
I've worked in all
kinds of kitchens.
And every challenge I face
has made me a better chef.
So now, I'm heading
out on a journey.
I'm literally in the
middle of nowhere.
To places like
this, this and this.
Wow. Look at that.
To restaurants so remote
that their chefs face
more challenges in a day...
GISELA: See what it
takes to get a good product?
KRISTEN: Than most
chefs face in a lifetime.
Oh my God.
And yet, they turn
these obstacles into
once in a lifetime meals.
We got a fish.
CAROLYNN: Oh, yeah.
Looking good.
KRISTEN: Now, they're welcoming
me into their kitchens.
KRISTEN: Cheers.
GISELA: Welcome.
KRISTEN: Oh yum. Wow. Wow.
It's a chance to up my game.
ERIN: I'm just blown away.
KRISTEN: That's good.
ROGIER: I know.
KRISTEN: While having the kind
of adventures that can only be
had at the very
end of the world.
I got it.
After four flights,
I've arrived at Svalbard,
midway between the
northern tip of Norway
and The North Pole.
At that point, I hopped on
this two-hour boat ride that
is taking me through an icy
fjord to get to the tip of
Kapp Linne, home of
Isfjord Radio Restaurant.
Let's go.
Step on it.
It's July, and even in the
middle of the summer,
the lack of roads and limited
access by sea make this
one of the most isolated
places in the world.
Wow. Look at that.
The restaurant is housed
in a radio station that
was built in 1933.
With the arrival of fiber
optic cable in 2003,
the facility became obsolete.
And though it may look a bit
rustic on the outside, it's
been transformed into a hotel
and fine dining destination.
Thank you very much.
Hi.
EVELYN: Hi.
KRISTEN: Hold on.
I'm Kristen.
EVELYN: I'm Evelyn.
KRISTEN: Evelyn.
EVELYN: I'm going
to be your guard.
KRISTEN: My guard. Okay.
What do I need a guard for?
EVELYN: Don't worry.
Let's go up.
KRISTEN: Don't worry. Famous
last words, right there.
EVELYN: Isfjord
Radio is quite isolated.
EVELYN: So, we are located
in polar bear territory...
EVELYN: Which means, um, that,
uh, roam around freely outside.
They actually need to be
accompanied by guards.
KRISTEN: Seriously?
EVELYN: Yeah.
Here you go.
This is a polar bear paw.
KRISTEN: Oh God.
EVELYN: We just had one that
broke into the garage,
found his way somehow
to the food storage.
Uh, went in there, made
a huge mess and then he
climbed out of the window.
KRISTEN: That's crazy.
Oh my God.
How often around here does it
actually happen, like per year?
EVELYN: Well, that's
always depends a little bit.
That's basically also the
reason why you are not allowed
to just go outside and, uh,
walk around between
all the buildings.
So, every time you want to
go out, you have to call me.
KRISTEN: Okay.
EVELYN: Or someone
like me with a g*n.
Uh, so we can, uh, escort
you and make sure you're safe,
while you, for example,
use the sauna and then
have a swim in the ocean...
KRISTEN: Mm-hm.
You'll be standing
there with the r*fle?
EVELYN: We'll be standing
there with the r*fle.
KRISTEN: We all know
polar bears can be deadly.
And Evelyn tells me there's over
3,000 of them on this island.
So, as weird as it
might be to have a guard,
I'm kinda glad she's with me.
EVELYN: You ready to explore
our hotel and restaurant?
KRISTEN: Yes.
The reason I wanted to come to
this restaurant is because
it has a reputation
for not only being remote.
EVELYN: Get rid of
your suit and your boots.
KRISTEN: But for serving
one-of-a-kind experimental
dishes which are unlike
anything I've had before.
EVELYN: Okay, come on in.
KRISTEN: Thank you.
Oh, wow.
This is beautiful.
You walk inside and you are
immediately greeted by warmth.
Just like the textures,
the patterns, the colors,
everything makes you feel like
you've now stepped into this
cozy oasis.
And while that gusting freezing
world is just outside,
it's clear that in here
you're going to experience
nothing but elegance.
EVELYN: Hello.
ROGIER: Hello.
KRISTEN: Hi.
ROGIER: Welcome.
How are you doing?
KRISTEN: I'm well.
Thank you. I'm Kristen.
ROGIER: I'm Rogier.
Nice to meet you.
KRISTEN: Nice to meet you.
Thank you for having me.
ROGIER: Glad to see you
make it out to Isfjord.
KRISTEN: This is great.
ROGIER: Thank you very much.
ROGIER: How was the boat ride?
KRISTEN: Everything from,
honestly even just like the
four-day journey that it's taken
me to get here has been...
ROGIER: I can imagine, yeah.
KRISTEN: An absolute adventure.
ROGIER: Little magical place,
if I might say myself as well.
KRISTEN: How does this work?
Like I, I'm fascinated by this
entire process cause you are
quite literally like in
the middle of nowhere.
ROGIER: To be very honest?
It's very limited.
Before I came to Isfjord Radio,
I was working at a
very busy
restaurant in Amsterdam.
And, uh, the
trucks came every day.
You know, we
unload the trucks...
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: Every fresh
produce came. And then
ROGIER: ...I came out here
and it's opposite world.
KRISTEN: Rogier grew
up in The Netherlands.
But he spent more time on
the road than any other place.
He fell in love with cooking
when he took a job at a
restaurant to help fund his
travels and years later,
he went on to become the
chef at one of Amsterdam's
top restaurants.
But the need for a new
adventure was calling him,
and Isfjord Radio fit the bill.
After two years on the job,
he still finds creating
extraordinary meals with
very limited resources
to be the ultimate challenge.
ROGIER: It's all
about the preservation...
...and making sure that I do
have a fully stocked freezer.
KRISTEN: Can I
see this freezer?
ROGIER: Yes, please.
Of course. That's just...
KRISTEN: Cause I imagine
it's just like packed with
so much good stuff.
ROGIER: It is definitely.
Let me show you.
KRISTEN: Local trappers
are limited to
very short hunting windows,
so Rogier takes what
he can when it's available,
butchers it and freezes it
to last the entire year.
ROGIER: This is a stack
of reindeer mince,
reindeer stock, reindeer necks.
KRISTEN: Ah.
ROGIER: And it keeps on going.
KRISTEN: Every part
of the animal is used.
Nothing goes to waste.
So, you have a freezer full of
beautifully preserved items.
And yet you also have a
lot of great fresh produce.
So, how is this
getting to you?
ROGIER: In the summertime,
the fresh produce...
...I get it by the boats...
...which happens
about once a month.
KRISTEN: Okay.
ROGIER: We don't always get it
like in the tiptop conditions.
Because it takes such
a long time for
the produce to come here.
So we need to find a way to
preserve it, start using it to
like extend the life of it...
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: A little bit longer.
KRISTEN: Being resourceful
is just the start for Rogier.
He has to deliver a
world-class dining experience
night after night.
ROGIER: Let me open
up the door for you.
KRISTEN: Thank you.
ROGIER: So it's nice
to have you here.
ROGIER: While you're here...
...we're going to have an
adventure group coming here.
And I want to use them a
little bit to start trying out
a few new dishes...
...that I haven't done before
to kinda get us prepared
for our CEO, Brita.
ROGEIR: She's gonna come
the end of this week.
KRISTEN: Brita is the
mother of Isfjord Radio.
She always tells her chefs the
food should be as adventurous
as the journey to get there.
And she comes by every
few months to see if the
restaurant is living
up to her standards.
ROGIER: I need to make
sure that she's going to be
completely surprised
and just blown away.
KRISTEN: No pressure.
ROGIER: No pressure at all.
KRISTEN: So, are, are
you thinking of any
specific dishes so far?
What kind of ideas are
floating around your head?
ROGIER: I always like to
implement a little bit of the
freshness that we can
find here that doesn't come
straight from my freezer.
If we want to make it
a spectacular dinner,
I know there's urchins,
mussels, clams
underneath the water somewhere.
So, we're going to
have to go diving.
KRISTEN: You know
it's freezing cold?
ROGIER: The water's warmed up
at least a degree and a half
in the last couple of weeks.
KRISTEN: A degree and
a half it warmed up?
ROGIER: It warmed up. Yeah.
It will take your breath away
when you go under the water.
KRISTEN: I'm going to
jump in the Arctic Ocean.
Oh, God.
Rogier has scouted the
area for good diving spots
and found a huge colony of
sea urchins in a shallow bay
just 15 minutes
from the restaurant.
ROGIER: And then our diving spot
is going to be over here.
Producer: Hey, real quick, guys.
There is actually a polar bear
on the hill.
KRISTEN: Shut up.
Hold on. Where?
(bleep) it's a polar bear.
ROGIER: It is a polar bear.
KRISTEN: Oh my God,
it's moving. (bleep)!
So, a polar bear this
close to the shore means
there is likely a food
source nearby.
He locked eyes with me.
I felt it.
It's probably a seal,
but I'm not eager to
give him any other ideas.
ROGIER: He knows we're here.
He's looking straight at us.
KRISTEN: This is nuts.
ROGIER: Yep.
KRISTEN: It's unbelievable.
Is that too close
to go diving here?
ROGIER: Rafael?
RAFAEL: Yeah?
ROGIER: What does
this mean for our dive?
RAFAEL: It's too big risk.
KRISTEN: Since polar bears are
excellent swimmers and prey on
creatures in the sea, it
looks like we'll need to
change up our dive spot.
But even though urchins are
over-populated in this area,
Rogier can't be sure
that there's gonna be any
at this new location.
KRISTEN: Oh, boy.
KRISTEN: You go first.
ROGIER: Bye.
KRISTEN: Bye.
KRISTEN: Oh my goodness.
You gotta be
♪ kidding me.
KRISTEN: The ocean is
about a degree above freezing.
So, in theory, this
seven-millimeter wetsuit
should keep me nice and warm.
Okay. (bleep) three, two...
ROGIER: One.
KRISTEN: Ooh. (bleep)
ROGIER: Woo-hoo.
KRISTEN: Oh, my God.
It's cold.
Rafael is keeping an eye out
on a nearby cliff so he can
give us plenty of warning if
there are any more polar bears.
But we'll have to be quick
since we're definitely
going to attract attention.
ROGIER: Now we need to go down
and search for some stuff.
KRISTEN: There's a ton of
seaweed in this spot which is
a popular snack for sea urchins.
KRISTEN: Where are
the sea urchins?
ROGIER: I have no idea.
KRISTEN: But we searched...
and searched...
and came up empty-handed.
So, we grabbed
some seaweed instead.
ROGIER: I found this one...
...and it interests me...
...because I've
never seen it before.
KRISTEN: The whole mission
wasn't a complete fail.
We got some seaweed.
I know Rogier has a backup
plan, so we'll head off to a
different location and
then hopefully we can find
something we can
actually serve to our guests.
KRISTEN: ...once I get
the human condom off my body.
ROGIER: Let's get some fish.
So, we are going to
go to Lake Linne...
...which is where I get most
of my char in the summertime.
You can kind of see how
the landscape already
changes, like...
...from one place
to the next one.
KRISTEN: This whole area is
protected by the Norwegian
government and no motorized
vehicles are allowed.
So, the only way to get to the
lake is a two-hour roundtrip
hike across the tundra.
Look at this landscape.
It's like in the
middle of nothing.
Amazing!
Once I crested the ridge,
I swear to God, the view
literally took my breath away.
ROGIER: X marks the spot.
KRISTEN: Wow.
That is unbelievable.
ROGIER: Welcome to Lake Linne.
We're going to get some fish.
KRISTEN: Let's go do it.
Rogier prefers to fish with
nets that he sets out at the
beginning of the season.
And returns to check daily.
ROGIER: As you can see, we
have some buoys out already.
We're going to
start with this one.
So, how do you feel like
going out on the water?
KRISTEN: I, uh... yes.
ROGIER: Yes. Perfect.
KRISTEN: So, to get to the
buoys that mark the nets,
we're taking his canoe.
ROGIER: I have a
survival suit here for you.
KRISTEN: Rogier makes this
trip to the lake every day
in the summer.
He's caught as many
as 18 fish at a time,
but sometimes he
doesn't get any at all.
ROGIER: You got this?
KRISTEN: Yep, I can do it.
But whatever he gets in
those short months
has to last him all year.
Oh, my God.
ROGIER: And what I now
always do, I grab the buoy and
attached to the buoy, you
find the floating rope.
KRISTEN: Okay.
ROGIER: How are we doing?
KRISTEN: I don't
feel any fish.
ROGIER: Uh-oh.
No luck.
KRISTEN: Yeah,
there's no fish.
ROGIER: Ready
for the next one?
KRISTEN: Where is it?
ROGIER: They're over there.
KRISTEN: Oh, I see it.
ROGIER: Well, I should
have been wearing your suit.
You're getting
water all over me.
(laughing)
KRISTEN: Woo.
ROGIER: There we go.
(groans)
KRISTEN: Woo.
Oh, we got fish.
ROGIER: We got fish.
KRISTEN: Holy (bleep)
it's a big one.
ROGIER: Nice.
KRISTEN: It may be just one
fish, but with one this size,
we can easily feed the party
that's coming tomorrow,
as well as Brita and her
friends the following day.
ROGIER: Woo hoo.
KRISTEN: An Arctic
Char from the Arctic.
Who would have thought?
Back on the shore, Rogier
suggested we warm up with
coffee before the
long hike back.
There is something to be
said about the character of a
person who can do this and
live in this environment.
ROGIER: Definitely challenges.
Like 24/7 daylight can already
upset a lot of people,
from day one, 24/7 darkness...
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: Of course, you miss
your families and friends.
You know, but then...
ROGIER: It's more the
challenge for myself
saying, "I can do this".
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: Which I love.
I love a challenge.
I, I thrive in it. I need it.
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: It keeps
me on my toes.
KRISTEN: It's a good thing
Rogier likes to stay on his toes
because working in a spot
like this requires an
intense focus at all times.
And now, I'm looking forward
to seeing how his intensity
plays out in the kitchen.
♪ ♪
ROGIER: Bread is in the oven.
The guests will most likely
come in around 7:30-ish.
So...
ROGIER: We have a couple
of hours until go time.
KRISTEN: For this meal, Rogier
wants to test some truly
experimental recipes on a
group of Arctic hikers
in order to more finely tune
what he serves to the founder
in two days.
ROGIER: It's going
to be the amuse...
...a starter, a main
and a dessert.
You know, we've got to
give them a dessert.
KRISTEN: Yeah.
Now that we're swapping out
Arctic Char for the sea urchins,
I'm curious to see
how Rogier plans to prepare it
with the other ingredients
he's preserved, frozen or
had recently delivered.
ROGIER: We have beetroots...
...so I was thinking about a
beetroot puree kind of idea.
We'll do some trial tests.
KRISTEN: The main course will
be a sous vide preparation of
Arctic Char complemented
by fresh apples,
a fermented berry sauce
and beet puree.
Another smart mix of fresh
and preserved ingredients.
What do you want me to do?
ROGIER: You can do the reindeer
tongue with the melon.
KRISTEN: Sure.
ROGIER: Perfect.
KRISTEN: The main will be
complemented by an appetizer
of reindeer tongue
with fresh melon.
It's a local twist on a
tried-and-true classic.
ROGIER: And I want
to do desserts that...
...I've also been
trial and erroring with.
Maybe a little passion fruit.
Mix it in with some
saffron and kimchi juice.
I want to try out
carmelized white chocolate.
And maybe some parsnip chips.
And make it into sorbet.
KRISTEN: So, Rogier's dessert
will be a passionfruit and
kimchi, yes kimchi, sorbet
with white chocolate custard
and parsnip chips.
Dusted in lingonberry powder.
ROGIER: It's a new
experiment for me as well.
So, let's trial and error
and just have fun with it.
KRISTEN: Oh, boy.
So, the dessert is making my
brain go a little bit crazy.
It would never have occurred
to me to put kimchi juice
in a passionfruit sorbet.
ROGIER: It's my kimchi.
KRISTEN: Oh, this
has got a kick.
ROGIER: Exactly.
But it's sweet in the beginning,
and then a kick in the end.
KRISTEN: Ooh.
But this is what I came here
for, to be pushed out of
my culinary comfort zone.
I'm really hoping these
diners' palettes are as
adventurous as the effort it
took for them to get here.
ROGIER: I think I looked
out of the window and saw
a few of the guests.
KRISTEN: Do they
look happy and hungry?
ROGIER: They definitely
look hungry.
♪ ♪
ROGIER: Bread is ready.
KRISTEN: Thank God.
What do you think about
putting a little divot and
putting a little
bit of sweetness in?
ROGIER: Love your style.
Love your work.
SERVER: Chardonnay
from Burgundy.
KRISTEN: Our dinner party
is waiting to be served.
So, we're doing the
final plating of the
stout beer bread starter,
which we decided to
compliment with a
Mork syrup at the last minute,
to give the butter
an unexpected sweet kick.
ROGIER: Good evening, everybody.
Thank you very
much for coming.
Starting off today, we
have some stout bread.
It's a sourdough that you
kind of mix in with some
caraway seeds and
cayenne pepper.
We have the
whipped brown butter,
and some genius person
actually puts in...
ROGIER: ...a little bit
of Mork syrup...
...which is a dark syrup.
GUEST: Thank you.
ROGIER: Thank you very much.
MAN: It's good.
WOMAN: Mm-hm.
GUEST: I like the taste
of the brown syrup inside.
MAN: It's really, really good.
WOMAN: Mm-hm.
KRISTEN: So, the diners here,
they're looking for something
that shakes things up.
They're looking for something
they can't find anywhere else.
They're, quite frankly,
the dream guests.
ROGIER: Glad to see
everybody's still here.
Thank you very much for that.
(laughing)
KRISTEN: Go this way.
ROGIER: Definitely an effort
that we've done together.
We have a piece of melon
in reduced cherry vinegar.
And then we have reindeer
tongue pastrami on top of it.
WOMAN: What is it presented on?
ROGIER: This is the
shoulder bone of also
the Svalbard reindeer.
MAN: Thank you.
ROGIER: Thank you very much.
Cheers, guys.
GUEST: Reindeer tongue.
It's tender on the
inside but still the,
the crust is like chewy.
MAN: Mm.
GUEST: That is very tasty.
GUEST: I like it.
WOMAN: Wow.
ROGIER: So, for the main,
we have a beetroot puree.
And we have an Arctic Char
that we catch ourselves
in Lake Linne.
We have apples, we have
a fermented berry sauce
and then some...
ROGIER: ...puffed
buckwheat on top of it, so...
ROGIER: Enjoy, guys.
WOMAN: I like the
freshness of the apple.
WOMAN: It's really good.
MAN: And the skin
is crisp as well. It's nice.
ROGIER: I'm going to
jump on the sorbet.
KRISTEN: Oh, boy.
So far, these diners have
been very receptive and
a great test for the dishes
Rogier would like to serve
for the founder tomorrow.
ROGIER: I love little
trials like this.
KRISTEN: But even I'm not sure
if Rogier will hit the mark
with his experimental dessert.
The white chocolate,
the lingonberry powder,
passionfruit, all
make sense to me.
It's the kimchi juice and the
saffron that's throwing me off.
GUEST: Thank you.
ROGIER: It's an
absolute pleasure.
GUEST: Thank you.
KRISTEN: You're welcome.
ROGIER: The last little
trial is this caramelized
white chocolate creme anglaise.
And then we have a little
carmel of sorbet in the middle
which is a sorbet made
from passionfruit, saffron
and some kimchi
juice inside of it.
GUEST: Kimchi juice?
ROGIER: They reacted
a lot easier than you did.
KRISTEN: Yes, you did.
The adventurous group.
WOMAN: Sounds disgusting,
I'm not going to lie.
WOMAN: It's a bit
weird to think about it.
I was like, why
would you even try that?
ROGIER: Dig in.
Don't let it melt.
WOMAN: Oh my God.
Oh, it's really good.
GUEST: Super nice.
WOMAN: The passionfruit,
it's amazing.
But yeah, the favorite, there
is no question, was the dessert.
I love the ice cream.
GUEST: Super good.
WOMAN: It's so good.
Like had all the components.
It had the sourness that
I really like and then the
crunchiness with
the chips on top.
That was amazing.
ROGIER: That's a
really good dessert.
KRISTEN: Cheers.
Mm. That's fun.
ROGIER: It's funky. Yep.
KRISTEN: It makes sense.
ROGIER: Really?
KRISTEN: Mm-hm.
ROGIER: Finally, somebody
says it makes sense.
KRISTEN: The dessert was
the shock of the century.
And any doubt that I had
that it was just ingredients
thrown together
to shock somebody,
all went away when
you tasted it.
ROGIER: Thank you very much,
everybody, for coming here.
GUEST: Thank you, Rogier.
ROGIER: And I hope the
adventure doesn't stop at this,
just keeps on going.
Cheers, guys.
GUESTS: Cheers.
MAN: Hey, cheers.
KRISTEN: Okay, so yes, today's
meal was a total success.
Well done.
ROGIER: Thank you very much.
Yeah, love it.
KRISTEN: But Rogier's
boss is coming tomorrow,
and she has notoriously
high standards.
So, game on.
ROGIER: I think we're on a
really good course with what
we have been doing.
I was very excited to see
the dishes that we made.
It looks amazing and tasted
amazing and I think everybody
was super happy with it.
KRISTEN: And that
dessert was awesome.
ROGIER: You like it?
KRISTEN: Yeah. I really do.
ROGIER: You want to do it again?
KRISTEN: Yeah.
Not only was the meal a
success, but the star dish
was Rogier's passionfruit
kimchi sorbet,
which is inspiring him
to push the envelope
even further to
impress his boss.
ROGIER: I'm also looking
to switch it up a little bit...
...with something exotic.
KRISTEN: Just add more?
ROGIER: Just add...
KRISTEN: Okay.
ROGIER: One more,
one more dish as well.
And I also think it
would be nice for you...
ROGIER: ...to have a little bit
of that playfulness with it...
...which is going to be
the Svalbard Ptarmigan.
Second course.
KRISTEN: How do you, how
do you spell Ptarmigan?
ROGIER: It's, uh, P-T armigan.
KRISTEN: Roger tells me the
ptarmigan is a grouse that
lives in the area.
And is such a staple, they
call it the Svalbard chicken.
ROGIER: I have a few
of the hearts left.
KRISTEN: Okay.
But, of course, Rogier wants
to use the parts of the animal
that aren't widely eaten.
ROGIER: Stuff that I really
want to work with, what
I haven't actually worked
with yet is the stomachs.
KRISTEN: I don't, I don't know
how to cook, I don't know
how to cook that.
But I will, I'll
figure it out.
ROGIER: There's
trial and error.
KRISTEN: I have one, I have one,
one try to get that right.
(laughs).
I got to say it's pretty
daunting to be asked to
experiment with a totally
new ingredient before this
really important dinner.
But it's also getting me back
in touch with how I first fell
in love with cooking.
So, the first thing I ever made
at like five or six-years old
was a chocolate pudding.
It did not include chocolate,
nor did it include sugar.
It was basically water,
cornstarch slurry and
soy sauce to make it turn brown.
And I just went into the
kitchen, and I just did it
without fear of failure,
without fear of
someone not liking it.
It did not taste good.
(laughs).
Um... But it wasn't about that.
It was about the thrill of
discovery and not the
fear of defeat.
And that's how I want to
approach this Ptarmigan dish.
Thinking of like this really
great rich yummy broth and
then we can skewer the
meats and the stomach
in just like a light grill.
ROGIER: Brain is,
brain is already going...
KRISTEN: Yeah.
ROGIER: 100 miles an hour.
I love it. Yeah.
KRISTEN: So, we'll do a...
ROGIER: Ptarmigan.
KRISTEN: Ptarmigan brodo...
ROGIER: Broth with a...
KRISTEN: With, um, skewer...
ROGIER: Stomach.
KRISTEN: Stomach.
(laughs).
First time I've ever
written that in my life.
ROGIER: Perfect.
KRISTEN: But the stomachs
aren't the only things
Rogier wants to test.
Keeping with the bird theme,
he invites me back into the
kitchen to show off
his latest experiment.
In the form of a new c*ck.
ROGIER: I do have something
that I'm trying out because
the grouse pouch is what
we call the hamster bag.
ROGIER: I've made that,
or I've put it inside of
some Dutch malted gin.
ROGIER: Jenever.
I can go and get it and
let you have a try as well.
KRISTEN: Okay. Some regurgitated
undigested pouch liquid.
ROGIER: It hasn't
been regurgitated yet.
KRISTEN: Oh, man.
The color's
throwing me off, though.
I'm not going to lie.
ROGIER: Oh, really?
KRISTEN: Oh, yeah.
Oh no, so it's all the stuff
that they have yet to swallow?
ROGIER: Yeah, this is what they
collect for the wintertime.
So, it is saved
in a little pouch.
KRISTEN: But it's got all
the digestive acid, right?
ROGIER: No, no digestive acid.
ROGIER: It doesn't get digested
inside the feeding parts.
KRISTEN: Saliva?
ROGIER: Maybe some enzymes,
some healthy enzymes.
ROGIER: Probiotic bacterias
because if you smell the bag...
...it smells like very
herby and seedy from...
KRISTEN: But this is very,
very new and the idea of...
unswallowed stuff does
throw your brain for a loop.
ROGIER: It's as close
to Svalbard produce
as you can get...
...only the birds have
been gathering it for us.
KRISTEN: Oh, my God.
ROGIER: Yes.
It is local seeds from Svalbard
that they have collected.
If they can't get any food,
they will regurgitate
this and swallow it.
Amazing. Yeah.
Just have a quick
little smell about it.
KRISTEN: I don't know. I...
I mean, I consider myself
an adventurous eater,
but this one is
pushing my limits.
But hey, I was wrong
about that kimchi dessert.
And, I'm always staying
open-minded to things
that are new to me.
I will try it.
ROGIER: So, today before we
actually go and feed our guests,
thinking it would be
nice to go out and
have one more little
experience of Svalbard.
KRISTEN: Okay.
ROGIER: Give you a
little surprise.
KRISTEN: This is something to
aid in the dinner this evening?
ROGIER: It will add a nice
little touch to the dinner, yes.
ROGIER: I think you'll
be blown away.
KRISTEN: Are you
all prepped for the dinner?
ROGIER: Not yet.
We cook together.
♪ ♪
ROGIER: I, I promise I'm
not going to make you dive.
But I am going to make
you touch the water.
KRISTEN: I will, I will.
So, today's the day we'll be
cooking for Rogier's boss, and
he's taking me to his
favorite spot in Svalbard,
to get a surprise
last-minute ingredient.
ROGIER: So, this is what
makes Svalbard magical.
KRISTEN: This is so crazy.
KRISTEN: Oh, my God.
So, what are we getting?
ROGIER: We're getting ice.
KRISTEN: We're getting ice.
The most obvious choice.
ROGIER: k*ll the
engine, brother.
If you're really quiet, and
you listen through the waves,
you hear all the
pops and cracks?
This is the glacier ice that's
been compressed snow and
air bubbles over
thousands of years.
So, when it melts, all the air
bubbles pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.
So, if you put this in
a glass and you pour
a c*ck on top of it,
you're going to get
the same popping effect.
KRISTEN: I did not know
glacier ice pops and fizzes.
Like even just
now, just hold it.
Just, just take a
second, everyone.
Like seriously?
It's magnificent.
I'm finding myself
at a loss for words.
RAFAEL: Look in
the front of us.
Now he dive. You see?
KRISTEN: (bleep)
RAFAEL: This is walrus.
KRISTEN: (bleep)
(gasps).
No. No way.
(gasps).
(bleep)!
We're surrounded by walruses.
KRISTEN:
They're just everywhere.
ROGIER: I can stare
at this all day.
But let's collect
the salty glacier ice.
KRISTEN: Oh yeah, cause we
actually have stuff to do.
ROGIER: We actually
do have stuff to do.
Yep, and a dinner to prepare.
Here we go.
KRISTEN: Move that one?
Let's see.
(bleep)
(laughing)
Only 10% of the
ice is actually above water.
ROGIER: It's all connected.
Bye.
KRISTEN: So, these pieces are
a lot bigger than they appear
on the surface.
Hold on.
ROGIER: I got you.
KRISTEN: Are you
sure you have me?
Oh, damn.
One cubic foot of ice
actually weighs 55 pounds.
So, we're definitely going
to get our workout today.
(bleep) that's heavy.
ROGIER: I'm going to taste it. Cheers.
KRISTEN: Cheers.
Mm. Salty.
ROGIER: It is salty.
KRISTEN: But don't worry.
That saltiness won't be
noticeable in a c*ck,
since the ice itself is made
from freshwater and we'll be
chipping these giant
chunks into very small pieces.
Mm.
I bet there's
walrus pee on this.
What do you think?
ROGIER: Little bit
of extra flavoring.
♪ ♪
KRISTEN: Ready?
ROGIER: Yes.
I was born ready.
I've been setting up a
little bit already.
KRISTEN: Okay. We have,
what, a couple of hours?
So, we need to move fast?
ROGIER: Fast.
KRISTEN: Okay.
ROGIER: Fast and efficient.
KRISTEN: In addition to the
reindeer pastrami and
Arctic Char that we
served yesterday...
ROGIER: Fish is going down.
KRISTEN: We're adding a new
menu item that Rogier and I
are working out together.
ROGIER: Stomach time.
KRISTEN: Oh, boy.
What's it smell like?
ROGIER: It's got
a gamey kind of smell.
KRISTEN: And this protein
is unfamiliar to both of us.
Smells like olives.
ROGIER: A little bit.
KRISTEN: The Ptarmigan
stomach, which we plan to
grill on hand cut skewers,
with other parts of the bird,
and then serve with a
broth on the side for dipping.
And don't forget, there's the
Ptarmigan feeding sack that
Rogier wants to
mix into a c*ck.
ROGIER: I have a little
Hibachi grill and we can
put the skewers on it.
KRISTEN: And you're
going to make the skewers?
ROGIER: Yes, I'm
going to make the skewers...
...because you kind of surprised
me with that idea and...
...I did not have
any skewers ready.
ROGIER: But, just like
everything in this place...
You gonna kinda have to
make do with what you got.
Seven skewers, coming up.
Too big?
KRISTEN: I think so.
Too thick, yeah.
ROGIER: A little bit
too thick, huh?
ROGIER: One more time
through the middle
would be perfect, actually.
KRISTEN: Oh, great.
ROGIER: Yeah, I love it.
ROGIER: So, I'm just trying to
find my way into the stomach.
KRISTEN: Oh, man.
Oh, there it is.
It's, oh man.
ROGIER: Out come
the little rocks.
ROGIER: She was a little freaked
out by the stomachs, definitely.
I like that.
It's like I got freaked
out by some of the things
I do as well.
But then it's just a mental
challenge to like get over it
and find the right
way of working with it.
KRISTEN: My God,
do you hear that?
It's rocks in the stomach...
...that the bird has eaten.
ROGIER: It helps them digest.
I wonder what Brita is
going to say about this.
KRISTEN: When, um, Brita is
coming in, is it a different
kind of energy for you?
ROGIER: I'm definitely a
little bit more focused and
I'm trying to serve her
like very playful things.
I would hate to let her
be bored with the food.
KRISTEN: Right.
I understand that Brita's
mandate for Rogier is
to be experimental.
ROGIER: If you feel this,
it's super tough.
KRISTEN: Oh yeah,
that's like leather...
ROGIER: I don't think
that's edible.
KRISTEN: But to be
experimenting with new protein
and new flavors with less than
two hours before her arrival,
is pretty nerve racking.
Let's see if we can skewer
an apple on that,
without it splitting.
Oh, beautiful.
ROGIER: Perfect.
KRISTEN: The way I think about
food is my point of reference is
nostalgia, it is comfort, it is
things that I'm familiar with.
And then I kind of start to
manipulate and bring it to
a place where it feels
slightly more new.
But it's not completely
far departed
from the point of origin.
ROGIER: Let's get
rid of the rocks.
Need to make sure that
we're giving edible food
on the skewers.
KRISTEN: Yeah.
Rogier likes to start with the
wildest, craziest ideas and
then he just starts
messing with them.
We have completely opposite
approaches in the kitchen.
So, I'm excited, but also
kind of nervous to see
how this all plays out.
♪ ♪
KRISTEN: Oh God,
we have 30 minutes.
What do we have to do?
ROGIER: Fish is in.
Tongue and
everything is prepared.
Broth is on. Apple we
have just a la minute.
KRISTEN: Dessert?
ROGIER: Sorbet's on.
KRISTEN: So, the only real
thing we have to do is skewer?
ROGIER: Skewer, and make
sure we have happy guests.
KRISTEN: Yeah.
See how this goes.
ROGIER: Happy days.
KRISTEN: We're experimenting
with the best way to serve up
these grouse organs.
I think we should
go olive, heart.
ROGIER: Are we
writing this down?
(laughs)
KRISTEN: We're thinking since
the Ptarmigan stomach smells
similar to olives, we're going
to include actual olives.
Along with the apples soaked
in dill oil to give a bright
compliment to the gamey dish.
Stomach in the middle.
No, we should put the
apple in the middle
to keep it separate.
And then stomach.
Look at that. How fun.
ROGIER: Arctic kebob.
ROGIER: I love it.
KRISTEN: Rogier's teaching me
to trust my instincts more.
And not be so
scared to mess up.
I dig it.
ROGIER: Yeah, me too.
KRISTEN: I think
we're ready to serve.
HOST: Welcome.
Just come in and have a seat.
GUEST: This is beautiful. Wow.
BRITA: Hello.
ROGIER: Hello, Brita.
Good evening, everybody.
GUEST: Hello.
ROGIER: I'm so glad
to see you guys here.
I will just quickly put
some bread in the middle.
BRITA: When you come this
far north, through the valleys
crossing the frozen fjords,
this is a unique adventure.
And I think that the food
should be as adventurous
as the travel itself.
KRISTEN: I'm going to
get this out of your way.
It'd be a shame if you
couldn't reach the bread.
GUEST: Thank you.
BRITA: So, our chefs have a
big responsibility in adding
to that adventure.
ROGIER: Thank you very much
for coming, as always,
to Isfjord Radio.
I have the pleasure of being
accompanied by Kristen Kish
to create an exciting
dinner for you guys tonight.
GUEST: Thank you.
WOMAN: It's mad.
WOMAN: Syrup in the middle.
BRITA: This place is
a touch of madness.
This place is adventure.
GUEST: Oh. Mm.
BRITA: So, the meals should
represent a touch of madness.
KRISTEN: Have they
had this before?
ROGIER: No, Brita has tried my
reindeer tongue pastrami
before but not...
...even close to what
we're doing at the moment.
KRISTEN: Rogier's plan is to
start with the more expected
dishes like bread and butter
and the reindeer pastrami.
GUEST: Oh, yes.
BRITA: Wow.
GUEST: The way they're
presenting the food is amazing.
WOMAN: Yes.
GUEST: Fantastic.
WOMAN: So much taste.
KRISTEN: Next up, is the Char.
GUEST: Oh, oh.
KRISTEN: Which also
takes advantage of
the local ingredients.
But doesn't stray too
far from a traditional
Scandinavian preparation.
WOMAN: I have to learn
how to cook this beetroot puree.
WOMAN: I love the beetroot.
KRISTEN: But now, we're
going into totally unknown and
experimental territory.
ROGIER: Now I'm nervous.
KRISTEN: Are you?
ROGIER: Yeah.
GUEST: Aye.
ROGIER: So, this is
an interesting one.
We've been playing around
with the Svalbard Ptarmigan.
On the skewers, you will
find a black olive,
Ptarmigan heart, then there's a
breast and a piece of apple
marinated in some dill oil,
and a piece of stomach.
ROGIER: We have a sauce that's
made of apples, star anise...
...and also a tiny little bit of
langoustine stock inside of it.
KRISTEN: Don't forget to
mention that he hand whittled
the skewers himself.
GUEST: Do they add some flavor?
Is there a slight burn?
ROGIER: They are definitely
adding a little burnt flavor
from the inside...
...but I would not
recommend to eat it.
(laughing)
KRISTEN: It tastes
extra special.
I promise.
ROGIER: Enjoy.
BRITA: We have never had
those parts of the ptarmigan...
...and the stick in
our restaurant before.
That's delicious.
GUEST: I think
it's perfectly cooked.
BRITA: Yes.
We want to deliver innovation,
elegancy, contrast, surprise.
This dish answered to
all of those areas for me.
GUEST: I know Isfjord Radio
has amazing food, but not,
not like this.
WOMAN: Takes it
to a new level.
GUEST: Really, a new level.
WOMAN: It's playful
and creative.
MAN: They managed to create
this fusion of our local
resources and leveling
it up to a gourmet level.
That's what makes it special.
And that's worth
the trip, so to say.
KRISTEN: You got to go.
Ice cream's melting.
After Rogier's gamble with the
Ptarmigan stomachs paid off,
I was pretty sure the
kimchi passionfruit sorbet
would also be a hit.
MAN: It's, it's very strange,
but it's fantastically good.
GUEST: Life will be not
the same after this dessert.
KRISTEN: But this feeding
bag c*ck, total wild card.
WOMAN: So, what's this?
ROGIER: I have infused the
feeding bags of the ptarmigans,
inside the young
Dutch malted gin.
So, the herbiness that you
have in it, it comes from the
local fauna that the
ptarmigans gather.
The ice we have
collected ourselves
today from the glacier.
WOMAN: Wow.
GUEST: I recognize this ice.
ROGIER: I hope you enjoy it.
BRITA: It's interesting.
I love the glacier ice.
But I don't like it.
GUEST: Rogier...
...I have some problem.
I cannot understand
how you get this idea...
...and you go to
these conclusions.
(laughing)
BRITA: It doesn't taste good
for me, but we had fun with it.
And I think that is more or
less what I get out of it.
I think this here, this is
playful, this is adventurous.
I like that it's a
touch of madness,
doing things differently.
That's our idea, right?
Doing it a bit differently.
GUEST: Thank you, Rogier. Cheers.
BRITA: Rogier, thank you
for being brave with us.
ROGIER: Thank you for
allowing me to be brave.
KRISTEN: By embracing radical
experimentation, this chef has
turned the challenges of
having very limited resources,
into an opportunity.
GUEST: I wish you'd
stay forever - both of you.
KRISTEN: I did not, I
honestly, I was just, I was,
I was a help for him in the
kitchen and it was truly
an absolute pleasure.
This place is magical.
It has inspired him to cook
the foods that he cooks,
and I was just a really
lucky recipient to be
on the other end of
learning all this.
So, thank you very much.
ROGIER: You're
being very humble.
(laughing)
We brainstormed
together and I loved it.
KRISTEN: Rogier truly
is an inspiration.
And if I can bring that sense
of playfulness and discovery
back into my own kitchen, who
knows what might come out of it.
BRITA: Cheers to both of you.
KRISTEN: Thank you.
(applause)
But this is a lesson I can apply
outside the kitchen, too.
This amazing restaurant is
innovative, experimental,
and most of all, gives space for
wonder and curiosity.
That's what made me fall in love
with cooking in the first place,
and it's a reminder of how
I want to live my life.
And now I'm ready to take
the plunge into the next
great adventure at the
very end of the world.
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01x02 - Norway's Touch of Madness
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Kristen Kish learns from chefs who overcome the formidable challenges required to serve memorable meals in the most remote outposts on Earth.
Kristen Kish learns from chefs who overcome the formidable challenges required to serve memorable meals in the most remote outposts on Earth.