One of Iceland's best known chefs and restaurateurs, Úlfar Eysteinsson, has passed away. Úlfar is best known as the founder and head chef of the fish restaurant Þrír Frakkar in downtown Reykjavík. He passed away on Wednesday. He was 71 years old.
Úlfar Þorsteinsson was born on August 23 1947. He studied the culinary arts and worked as a chef at several Reykjavík restaurants. In the 1980s he worked closely with Tómas Tómasson, the founder of the Tommaborgarar hamburger joints, founding and operating a couple of American style family diners. On March 1 1989 he opened the restaurant Þrír Frakkar on Baldursgata street in the Þingholtin neighborhood.
Þrír Frakkar, which translates either as Three trench coats or Three Frenchmen, as the Icelandic word for trench coat is Frenchman, specialized in high quality traditional Icelandic fish cusine, popularizing modern twists on dishes like Icelandic fish-stew plokkfiskur.
Read more: Make your own delicious plokkfiskur: Tradition Icelandic fish stew
A few years ago Úlfar had to be hospitalized for heart problems, but in an interview with the local newspaper DV he said he was not going to slow down or retire. Are you crazy? The restaurant is identified with me and family run. Úlfar continued to cook at the restaurant and mingle with guests until the end, although he had handed the head chef's hat over to his son who took care of daily operations.
Úlfar made a lasting impression on everyone who met him, and his restaurant set a new standard for restaurants and the culinary arts in Reykjavík.
One of Iceland's best known chefs and restaurateurs, Úlfar Eysteinsson, has passed away. Úlfar is best known as the founder and head chef of the fish restaurant Þrír Frakkar in downtown Reykjavík. He passed away on Wednesday. He was 71 years old.
Úlfar Þorsteinsson was born on August 23 1947. He studied the culinary arts and worked as a chef at several Reykjavík restaurants. In the 1980s he worked closely with Tómas Tómasson, the founder of the Tommaborgarar hamburger joints, founding and operating a couple of American style family diners. On March 1 1989 he opened the restaurant Þrír Frakkar on Baldursgata street in the Þingholtin neighborhood.
Þrír Frakkar, which translates either as Three trench coats or Three Frenchmen, as the Icelandic word for trench coat is Frenchman, specialized in high quality traditional Icelandic fish cusine, popularizing modern twists on dishes like Icelandic fish-stew plokkfiskur.
Read more: Make your own delicious plokkfiskur: Tradition Icelandic fish stew
A few years ago Úlfar had to be hospitalized for heart problems, but in an interview with the local newspaper DV he said he was not going to slow down or retire. Are you crazy? The restaurant is identified with me and family run. Úlfar continued to cook at the restaurant and mingle with guests until the end, although he had handed the head chef's hat over to his son who took care of daily operations.
Úlfar made a lasting impression on everyone who met him, and his restaurant set a new standard for restaurants and the culinary arts in Reykjavík.
