Eliassen Matkunst is a company established by Simen Einebakken Eliassen. The business was founded in 2023, originally to run the kitchen at the Lyngen Experience Lodge hotel. Later, Simen expanded the offer to include private assignments as a chef and food production. The newest project is the establishment of the restaurant Emmer in Nord-Lenangen, Lyngen municipality, which opened in 2024 under the name Emmer - by Eliassen Matkunst.

 

BACKGROUND
Simen comes from a family with a great passion for food, and this is the start of the whole journey. As a child, he showed a great interest in food, and often stood at the kitchen counter to learn. His interest led him to train to become a chef in Tromsø in 2011. But formal education meant little to Simen. He quickly learned that his cooking knowledge was well above average, and he therefore learned little at school. One of his teachers said he had nothing more to do at school, and told him to quit. He then chose to get a vocational certificate a year before graduating, and continued his learning in the restaurant industry.
 

His career has been eventful and with a steep learning curve. He has worked in several well-known restaurants in Tromsø, such as Emmas Drømmekjøkken, Mathallen, Maskinverkstedet and head chef at Skirri. After 10 years in Tromsø, he wanted new challenges and headed to Vesterålen. Here he worked as head chef for Halvard Ellingsen. He has always liked to challenge himself, and was happy to change jobs when he felt he needed new knowledge.

 

After many years as an employee, he always had the dream of starting his own concept. He was offered the opportunity to run the kitchen at an exclusive hotel in his home municipality, and the choice was easy.

 

Lyngen offered spectacular nature and rich resources – from the sea and seafood to agriculture, mushrooms, herbs and game. For a chef, this is an eldorado, where the ingredients can be gathered right in the vicinity. Therefore, the choice was easy and this was the start of what is today Eliassen Matkunst. He want to utilize nature's gifts, support the local community and shop locally. The food must be short-cooked, made from natural ingredients, and treated with respect and simplicity.

​​

Simen has mainly built up the company on his own, without investors, but wants to develop it further in order to employ chefs who meet his high standards. He is known for his skill and great knowledge in the kitchen.

​​

​​