People of the North

-Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following.

-The Stavanger region -- adventurous shores, deep fjords, lively towns, and the iconic Preikestolen.

The Edge of Norway.

-Norwegian Alpinco -- connecting mountain spots, steep slopes, alpine villages, and outdoor activities all year round.

-In Sigdal, Norway, where mountains rise and forests whisper, Anne-Line and Courtney create Norwegian gifts so you can bring a piece of Norway with you.

Nordic Box -- memories from Norway.

- Oh, take me home, take me home where I belong -VGAN Chocolate, Norwegian flavor.

- I can't take it anymore [ Jet engine roaring ] -Oh!

[ Laughs ] -[ Laughs ] -After a while you feel more comfortable.

And this is only Wagyu cows?

-Yeah, this is clean Wagyus, and this is from embryos.

So we can trace them back to Japan.

-Wow.

-Join me on a journey where we will meet people who live, work, and enjoy life right here in the Far North.

[ Ship horn blares ] I'm taking you to meet the fantastic people of the North.

[ Chorus singing ] We are on board the vessel Restauration.

which took the first Norwegians to the U.S.

200 years ago.

-This region is known for a lot of great restaurants, and good drinks I know they have.

-I heard they have lovely local food here, and I'm looking forward so much to cook with that.

-Welcome to Stavanger!

-Welcome to Stavanger!

[ Glasses clinking ] -The vibrant coastal city of Stavanger blends rich history with breathtaking nature surroundings.

Stavanger is also a foodie's paradise -- Michelin star restaurants, fresh seafood and produce, innovative Nordic cuisine.

Whether exploring charming streets, enjoying dining, Stavanger offers culture and gastronomy.

-Lena, now we are standing here in Stavanger city in a beautiful sunny day beside Breiavatnet.

There is a big event happening here.

-We are celebrating the 900-year anniversary of the Cathedral of Stavanger and the city of Stavanger.

In this 900 years celebration, we have a long lineup of activities that will include different types of citizens of the region.

In 2025, it's also 200 years since Restauration sailed from Vagen in Stavanger to New York with 52 emigrants.

-And this is an exact replica of the boat that went to the U.S.

200 years ago?

-Yes, that's correct.

It was a different kind of people, and most of them were Quakers.

-Yeah.

-And the rest was from this area.

-And they all made it to the U.S.?

-All made it to the U.S.

Even get born a little child outside Bahamas on the way.

So there was one more than they left.

This was the first emigration from Norway with a big group.

-So you thought it was an important historical boat and to have this story going on and now celebrating 200 years.

-Yes.

-And then you gave away the boat?

-Yeah.

Oh, I get five crowns for it, so... -[ Laughs ] That's a very bad deal.

-Being a coast city, we have both emigrated, but we have also received a lot of in-pulses and -- from the rest of the world.

-But this area is so rich in farmland, local produce.

For me, it's hard to imagine why they want to leave it.

-Oh, it's 200 years ago.

You have to go back.

There was no food, no work, maybe 10, 15 children, same family.

-Different times.

-Different time.

-In 2025, this historic sail ship will arrive in New York just as they did in 1825, following the same historic route from Norway to the U.S.

Frida, the ever cheerful explorer, she's on her usual hunt for the freshest local produce.

-So many tomatoes.

-Yeah.

So nice.

You also like it?

-Yes.

-I live here every day, so yeah.

-How many tomatoes do you eat per day?

[ Both laugh ] -During the day I eat quite a lot.

But when I come home in the evening, it's not what I miss the most in the table.

We are producing around 90% to 95% of the production of tomatoes in Norway.

My specialty is what we are looking at here is called Juanita.

So that has been my baby since 2008.

-I cannot wait to taste one.

-Yeah.

-Can I pick one?

-Of course.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

[ Both laugh ] -Mm.

-Taste good?

[ Laughs ] -It's so delicious.

-Yeah.

-It's sour.

It's sweet.

It's so good.

Of course I want to cook with your tomatoes.

-Of course.

-Yeah.

-You get so much tomatoes you want.

Come.

-Thank you.

-[ Laughs ] -Stavanger is a food lover's paradise, offering a rich blend of flavors and culinary traditions.

So we decided to go for a restaurant walkabout with a local connoisseur, Olav Larsen.

Olav, we are going on a Gladmat wandering, as we say in Norwegian.

-Yes.

-What is it, actually?

-You know Stavanger, down by the harbor side, there's a lot of nice restaurants.

We wanted to focus a little bit on this place called Pedersgata, because there's a lot of nice restaurants and eating spaces.

-Hey, hey.

-Hi.

-Hey.

-Wow.

-It's grilled waffles.

We created one salt and one sweet.

So we really try to, um... to highlight what's around us and what can we do with it.

-You can really feel the Norwegian flavor in the ingredients, but it's served in a very modern way but still local.

-New restaurant on our walk-around.

-Ah.

-Ooh.

-Hallo, Hallo.

-Hallo.

-Wow.

Nice.

-It's Norway's top season for strawberries right now.

So here we have organic strawberries from Voll out in Jaeren just by the beach.

-Mm.

-Mm.

-Ooh.

-Wow.

-For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.

Just outside bustling Stavanger, one can find refreshing nature for a bit of exercise.

-Wow.

-Look at this.

-It's so beautiful.

The sand is white.

-And the sea is green.

-Yeah.

-If this was in a more populated area of the world, would be a large hotel over there.

-[ Laughs ] -A big resort.

-Exactly.

-But here you have it all to yourself.

Off we go.

In the green hills south of Stavanger lies Roysland Farm, where Georg-Fredrik Ueland raises very special cattle.

Is this our lunch?

-Yes.

This is your lunch.

So you get T-bone of Wagyu.

So it's dry-aged.

And Rick is grilling the meat for lunch.

-So this is actually the same kind of quality that goes to the three-star Michelin restaurant Re-Naa.

-Yeah.

In the season of this, we always have this.

-So, guys, as you know, I'm always planning for some cooking when we are traveling together.

So maybe you can help me out with -- to choose some nice Wagyu.

So I was thinking maybe this type of meat.

-So, this is dry-aged.

-Perfect.

-With its rich history, dramatic landscapes, and cultural delights, Southwestern Norway is a perfect destination for both nature and food lovers.

Ah.

-Wow.

-Beach.

-That's the unique thing with Norway.

All the regions are so different.

-We have scratched the surface.

There is more.

-Stig, we are in Egersund.

Why are we here?

-Because it's beautiful.

-[ Laughs ] -Here in Egersund, there is a quite big whiskey distillery.

-Ah!

-So I want to experience that.

Show you some good drinks.

And then, I know they make gin as well.

And -- -Really?

-Yeah, really.

[ Both laugh ] Fred, well, this adventure, I'm going to make a martini.

And I know you make some amazing gins.

-Absolutely, And I know just the right gin for your martini.

With freshly picked spruce shoots and birch leaves.

So I think that will be excellent.

-Thank you.

-Absolutely.

-This is our new whiskey hole and visiting center behind us.

So this is the dream.

Actually, we have been -- dreamt of for many, many years.

And finally, when I got the next generation, Fred, with us here, we decided to make the distillery and go more into the whiskey business and gin business than we have done before.

The company is a family company.

It's founded in 1895 by my great-grandfather.

So I'm the fourth generation running the company.

-Frida, you've been looking forward to this whiskey tasting.

-Yes, of course, but also a little bit nervous because for me, it's very strong flavor.

-We have the first whiskey we ever released, which is called Born.

You know, we wanted to make a whiskey that's -- that suits everyone.

So even for the enthusiast, but also for people who, um, who maybe find it to be in general a bit strong or, um... What we like to do or recommend, if people aren't very used to tasting whiskies or let's say strong spirits in general, is to blow a little breath of air into it so that you kind of -- you blow out all of the alcohol vapor.

So that leaves you with all of the detailed aromas left in the glass.

-But for me, that has some issues with alcohol, should I blow very [Blows] strong or...?

[ Laughter ] ...should I...?

-Gentle.

-Up to you.

-Gentle?

Okay.

-It's just about exchanging the air in the glass.

-Okay.

Oh, it really, really helps.

-Mm-hmm.

-This was surprisingly different.

The combination of the sherry and the bourbon kind of creates this, uh, spiciness in a way, like rich texture.

-Mm.

-For me, it's still strong, but I can also feel a lot of flavors inside.

If I could prefer, I want to add something like soda or... -Coke.

[ Laughter ] -In a charming side street from the port lies an architectural gem of a hotel.

-It was built, this property, by the local architect, Eilert Smith, 1937, as a warehouse, and here they sold tractors and dog food.

-And there's no dog food now.

-Absolutely no dog food today.

It's a 12-room boutique hotel with three Michelin star restaurants.

-And when entering the hotel, you feel very welcome.

-Normally, this kind of restaurant and this kind of hotel, the restaurant is hidden somewhere.

But the inspector from the Michelin Guide actually pointed out that here it was a statement to put it in the front and really show the diamond.

-So it's like a heart in the... -It's a big heart both for us and for our guests.

-And given that you have only 12 rooms, only 22 seats, it must be quite full very often.

-It is, it is.

It's June today, but we have one table in October.

[ Laughs ] -For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.

So we're actually now in the largest hotel suite in Norway.

And as a part of staying here, you get a specially made breakfast by a three-star Michelin chef.

-Uh, not every day, but... [ Laughter ] I'm very busy running the three-star Michelin in the first floor, but for you guys and for everybody who really wants it, if you really want it, I can do it.

[ Laughter ] -Frida, we are going to have a special treat.

This is up your alley.

-I'm looking forward.

-Roger Joya came to Norway as a 17-year-old from the Philippines and has established several restaurants in Stavanger like Michelin star Sabi Omakase.

-Welcome to Sabi Enso.

-I cannot even explain how excited I am to meet you and to taste your food.

-Let's start.

Go.

Ladies first.

-Thank you.

-Where did you train?

-This is in Chiba Prefecture in Japan.

-Where you trained?

-Yes.

-And how long did you train there?

-More than five -- five.

It's not so long.

-[ Laughs ] Five years.

-But five years back and forth, yes.

So this is the first Nordic wasabi that are producing.

This one come from Iceland.

They managed to basically imitate the kind of environment where it grows in Japan because wasabi are very sensitive.

[ Blowtorch hissing ] -Ooh.

-So this is my signature dish.

My passion is this.

I am a -- I am a restaurateur.

I like restaurants like this.

I want to serve the food to you.

I don't want to run everywhere.

This is what I love.

-Thank you so much for this experience, Roger-san.

-Thank you.

-You took us to a quick trip to Japan.

-Arigato.

-Arigato.

-On the island Brimse just outside Stavanger Harbor, Frode Ljosdal has established an oasis of everything that grows.

-Oh, my God, look at this.

[ Gasps ] -Our vegetables is produced out of what the chefs want or what I want them to want.

Try to find new ways of using vegetables, different stages of the vegetables.

-So if a chef, he wants a specific size, you produce a specific size?

-I produce exactly the size he wants.

-It's so nice to see the collaboration between the farm, you, and the chefs.

-That's what's inspired me to work with those people.

-I think we'll cook some nice food with this and make some nice drinks.

-In the historic Hotel Victoria, Stig has done a bar takeover.

-Today I'm going to make a fruity martini with some herbs.

This is quite anise- and licorice-forward.

A little splash of gin.

It's a kind of herbal, fruity lemonade.

Kind of friendly pour.

[ Ding! ]

Wow.

-Wow, wow.

-Finally.

-I know Frida will like this one because it's still strong, but it's also kind of fruity.

-I've never seen pink elderflowers before.

-Ooh!

I can feel the licorice.

-Mmm!

-Yeah, this -- this was super nice.

[ Laughter ] -Yeah.

-You're surprised?

-No, but the thing is, I had a -- I love anise in gin because it kind of adds some sweetness to it.

And elderflower is just sweet and fruity and very summery.

-It gets kind of mellow.

-Yes, exactly.

-Skal.

-Skal.

-Mm.

-Mm.

-Next on our Stavanger restaurant safari is the Bistrovaganza.

But before we go there, someone in our team needs a makeover.

-You know that this morning I went out for a power walk.

-Yeah?

-And I was thinking maybe you need to fresh up a little bit for the extravaganza.

-You don't like my colors?

-I mean, I think it's nice with some more colors sometimes.

So I found this shop Made With Hart.

-Aha.

You're kidding me?

It's actually a very good friend of mine.

-Really?

-Stig, my friend.

[ Laughter ] -Stig is wearing very dark clothes even if it's so much summer here.

-He's the Man in Black.

-He's the Man in Black, but also a man in color sometimes.

Very few times.

-One time.

-When I bought the yellow sweater for you.

-Yeah, yeah.

-It's fantastic that you came to our store.

We love colors.

I will definitely help you out with a colorful jacket.

It's specially made.

It's Italian.

-I think you should wear colors more, Stig.

-I totally agree.

I totally agree.

You look amazing in purple.

Maybe you should have... -Okay.

-Go and have a look in the mirror.

-Matching.

-It's definitely colorful.

-Yes.

-But do you like it?

-Yeah, I love it, I love it.

-This is one of the good things with Stavanger.

They have, like, a proper barbershop.

[ Speaking indistinctly ] -Bistrovaganza is a culinary circus and a very rare evening with amazing food by Chef Sven Erik Renaa and an exciting mood delivered by his wife, Torill.

-We call it Bistrovaganza because I wanted to play with the words so that people understand that this is a party with great food.

[ Cheering, up-tempo music playing ] -And you celebrate the French bistro culture.

-Yes, we do.

So it's all about the ambience in the dining room.

It's all about joy.

-What type of food do you serve here?

-Fantastic produce.

Not too complicated, presented, or prepared.

If you haven't tasted wild salmon, we serve it with a caviar sauce, then a spinach cream montd with brown butter.

-I cannot wait!

But, Arne, I don't really understand why we are sitting in the stairs.

-Uh, well, you see, it was fully booked a year ago.

But I know a guy who knows a guy who... -You always know a guy in Norway.

That's why it's so fantastic to travel around with you guys.

-You'll get the same food.

[ Cheers and applause ] -For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.

-Before Frida is going to show her Stavanger extravaganza, she needs to visit celebrated chef and local fishmonger Karl Erik Pallesen.

-You're in the heart of the region of seafood in Norway.

I had the idea of having the shop with all the ingredients coming in, and then change the menu every day out of what ingredients you can serve.

-That's so smart because then it's also very creative to work here and also you work by season.

-Of course.

We have a really nice halibut from Hjelmeland, just 20 minutes from here.

It's really nice to slice it like sashimi or something like that.

-I love halibut, so definitely I'm gonna have some halibut from you.

[ Both laugh ] I'm preparing the food for Arne and Stig with all these fantastic local ingredients.

So I'm so excited to serve Arne and Stig the food soon.

I made a shellfish plateau with vegetables from Frode, the fantastic farmer outside here.

I'm deep-frying zucchini flowers in tempura.

I also made a tomato salad with tomatoes from Lauvsnes with ponzu and tofu cream.

Here is a halibut sashimi with sterling halibut and also, of course, tataki of Wagyu cows from Nyyyt Gaard.

Arne, Stig, come!

-Ooh!

-Hello, my friends.

Stig and Arne, welcome.

-This is your interpretation of what we have done these last days.

-Yes.

And it's -- Yeah, it became a lot because I couldn't choose what to cook.

-Mm.

Lovely.

-So, guys, I told you about the combination between eating shellfish and drinking whiskey.

We will see if you agree with me.

-Look at this.

-Ah!

-For you, Arne.

-Oy!

-And I'm not actually a whiskey fan but it goes very well together.

-This is sweet, this alcohol.

-Mm!

I forgot the langoustine.

I just drank whiskey.

[ Laughter ] Ay, yi, yi.

[ Guests exclaiming ] -So, our journey in the Stavanger region ends here at the veteran ship MS Sandnes.

And what has been the highlight of the tour, Frida?

-Again, I'm so impressed of the local food and the farmers.

I mean, it's no words.

It's been amazing.

-Stig?

-I would say the hospitality, the food, the people.

-I agree.

-Thank you very much.

And goodbye.

-Goodbye.

-Tellus Works.

-For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.

-Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following.

-The Stavanger region -- adventurous shores, deep fjords, lively towns, and the iconic Preikestolen.

The Edge of Norway.

-Norwegian Alpinco -- connecting mountain spots, steep slopes, alpine villages, and outdoor activities all year round.

-In Sigdal, Norway, where mountains rise and forests whisper, Anne-Line and Courtney create Norwegian gifts so you can bring a piece of Norway with you.

Nordic Box -- memories from Norway.

- Oh, take me home, take me home where I belong -VGAN Chocolate, Norwegian flavor.

- I can't take it anymore [ Jet engine roaring ]