The remarkable journey of an Icelandic fishmonger

Years later, he felt a new calling — to the pastures of East Iceland, where he became a sheep farmer. This rare blend of sea and land experience would ultimately shape him into one of Iceland’s finest fishmongers and butchers, the proud owner of a Fish and Butcher Shop that showcases the very best of Iceland’s bounty.

Spending his childhood summers with his grandparents on an island in Breiðafjörður Bay, Gestur’s early years were marked by days spent on the sea, learning the craft and resilience it took to work the waters of Iceland. By the time he finished elementary school, he was already on his way to becoming a seasoned fisherman. Over his fishing career, he took on many roles, including deckhand, engineer, helmsman, cook, mate, and eventually captain. Later, he began his own operation out of Grundarfjörður on small boats called trillur. “I would fish in all weather conditions. It was tough, but we made a damn good living, and I loved it” he recalls with a hint of nostalgia.

From fishing to farming

 However, life had other plans for Gestur. Spotting an opportunity in the East, he explains. ”I saw a farm for sale close to Egilsstaðir called Blöndubakki Farm. All of a sudden, I got really excited. My parents were sheep farmers, so I had grown up on a farm and was raised around sheep” admitting that the move came with its own challenges. He and his wife, Bryndís Ágústa, and their six children moved shortly after. “I met my wife when I was just 14, but she lived in Reykjavík, and there was no phone at the farm, so we just wrote each other letters” he explains.

Their story reads like a novel: young love nurtured through years of letters until they finally got together when he was 19 and she was 17. In each chapter of his life, his wife has been a constant pillar, supporting him through the long fishing seasons and the demanding work on the farm and standing by him, cooking and preparing food at the Fish and Butcher Shop.

After the big move to Blöndubakki, they acquired a herd of 250 sheep, which became both a livelihood and a passion project. Yet, farming alone wasn’t enough to sustain a big family in the way he’d hoped. Gestur found himself drawn back to the sea as a captain on netting boats. Balancing family life with long stays at sea was challenging, with his wife caring for the kids and the growing farm. In 2004, he decided to fully transition away from sea life to focus on his farm, family, and a new career, first as a truck driver and later as a cattle inseminator. He continued in this role for 14 years, becoming a familiar face on farms across East Iceland.

Even thoughhe and his wife were very busy during those years, they somehow managed to expand the farm. “When our neighboring land was for sale, we just purchased it. It just felt like a natural expansion. It came with summer cottages, so now we offer accommodations and horseback riding tours for visitors who want to experience this beautiful part of Iceland on horseback” Gestur says casually, making it sound normal to juggle multiple jobs. “I’ve never been afraid of hard work” he adds, laughing, and announces that he is buying another neighboring land to expand the accommodation. It also has a barley field, which he will use to feed the animals and for us humans to feast on.

Yet, life took another dramatic turn when a serious car accident left him recovering from severe injuries in 2021. It was a turning point that led him to reevaluate his daily work. He left his role as an inseminator to focus solely on running the Fish and Butcher Shop in Egilsstaðir, which he had owned since 2018, but had other people run it for him. “My wife and I decided to focus on the shop and started to improve and introduce new things. We did everything ourselves initially: everything from buying the produce to cutting the fillets to cooking and selling. Now we have employees to assist us in the shop during the summer when it gets really busy” he explains.

Quality without compromise

The small store is a hidden gem in a warehouse district. You wouldn’t call it fancy, but it’s as authentic as it gets. Here, quality is king, and each piece of meat or fish sold reflects Gestur’s meticulous standards. Asked about the lamb he sells, he replies proudly, “I use my own lamb most of the time. And it’s totally different from the lamb you get in the supermarket. When I get my lamb meat from the slaughterhouse, I let it hang for 4 to 5 days, tenderizing it and bringing out deeper flavors.” He believes this is what sets his products apart, as meat is frozen before being aged in nearly all stores.

His approach to fish is equally discerning. He only sources line-caught fish, bought directly from local fish markets in nearby fjords. “This type of fish is untouched by the rough handling common in net-caught fish, which can leave the flesh bruised and blood-stained. Freshness is everything” he says, determined. “When the fish is four days old, it starts to have a smell that people don’t like. I process the fish the same day I get it, which is the same day it’s caught out at sea.” No wonder Gestur’s shop has become a destination for those seeking the best of Icelandic seafood. His fish fillets, often less than 24 hours from sea to store, are a revelation to locals and travelers alike.

He makes his own fish cakes, using recipes he’s perfected over the years. “The difference with my fish cakes is that the fish I use has never been frozen, which makes them so much juicier when fried” he points out. This level of care extends to every item he sells – from whole cuts to custom fillets; he tailors each sale to his customers’ cooking preferences. Before he knew it, he was cooking for his customers, which led to a new, unexpected, and fruitful direction for the business.

Cooking for hungry travelers

For Gestur, educating people on how to cook and enjoy Icelandic fish is part of his mission. For instance, he recommends grilling firm fish such as ling and wolffish but baking or steaming delicate fish like cod or halibut. His favorite? “Halibut” which he describes as rich and almost like salmon. It’s a delicacy he remembers catching by hand in his youth. “While it’s illegal to fish halibut commercially now, I still occasionally get ones that wander into the nets” he says, with a smile.

Gestur was asked to explain how he transitioned from running an old-fashioned fish and meat shop to cooking and serving food to travelers. “One day, a traveler came in and asked if I could cook the fish fillet for him. Having worked as a cook at sea for 11 years, I just said without hesitation, ‘No problem.’ I found a pan and cooked it right there for him, and he loved it!” From that day on, Gestur realized there was an unserved need. He set up some cooking equipment, a bench, and an outdoor table, and soon, hungry travelers began wandering through the door.

When asked about the most popular dish, he answers promptly: ”Fish and chips are always a crowd-pleaser. I use fresh fillets, which makes them much juicier than the common frozen kind. The salmon is a classic, and lobster in garlic sauce is a dish people often return for. They ask for a new portion while licking their fingers eagerly” he laughs. “The fish skewers, lamb nuggets, and whale meat, which is especially popular among Asian visitors. If they spot me in the store, they won’t leave until they get a picture with me. I don’t speak much English, but I think it’s become a ‘must-visit place’ after an Asian influencer talked about my shop on a popular Asian travel site” he says, shaking his head in awe at how the world works these days.

Sustainability and Tradition

Hardly anything goes to waste in Gestur’s shop and bistro. Leftover fish bones and heads are boiled down for broths, which are then used in sauces or frozen for future use. Even his own dogs and the dogs of loyal customers’ benefit from his sustainable approach, as he regularly offers scraps for pet food. “We try to make sure nothing goes to waste. We source as much as possible locally — from the fish we buy directly from local markets to the meat we process ourselves.”

Gestur’s commitment to Icelandic culinary traditions shines through in every aspect of his business. He keeps things local, whether it’s the meat, the fish, or his interactions with customers. While he may have left the sea behind, the tenacity and dedication that defined his years as a fisherman still guide him.

Travel Better

Gestur’s days are as full as ever, between running the shop with his wife, managing his farm, and the travel operation. He is a living testament to the Icelandic spirit of resilience, hard work, and staying true to one’s roots. His story reflects a commitment not only to quality and tradition but also to family, community, and Iceland’s natural resources.

At the Fish and Butcher Shop, Gestur isn’t just selling food – he’s offering a piece of his heritage, shaped by decades of hard work and mastering the crafts of fishing, farming, and serving people. His legacy lives on in every carefully prepared fish fillet, every succulent lamb chop, and every piece of advice he shares with customers eager to taste the difference.

Visiting places like the Fish and Butcher Shop offers more than just a taste of Iceland — it helps sustain the culture and community that make this country so special. Next time you’re in East Iceland, take a detour to meet Gestur and his wife and experience the true flavors of Iceland. And if you are lucky, you might even get a picture!