Meet
Iris
Meet Iris and Nonni, two welcoming Icelanders who share a deep love for travel, food, and music. Together, they run a travel company and lead journeys across Iceland, offering a rich understanding of the country’s history, geology, culture, and local cuisine.
Iris is a passionate home cook who believes that great cooking runs in her veins - a skill passed down from her mother and now shared with her daughter. She delights in introducing guests to the kind of food Icelanders truly enjoy at home, which is often quite different from what you’ll find in restaurants. Many traditional dishes are slow-cooked and served simply, alongside potatoes and fresh vegetables grown year-round in geothermal greenhouses - a unique feature of Icelandic life, even during the long, dark winters.
Both Iris and Nonni are also musicians who love to sing. Iris is currently studying opera, while Nonni sings with two choirs, so you may be treated to an impromptu performance during your time together.
What to expect
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal:
(2-12 guests)
Enjoy an authentic Reykjavik dining experience in the home of Iris and Nonni, where you’ll discover what Icelanders truly eat at home. This traditional Icelandic meal showcases simple, high-quality ingredients and time-honored cooking techniques.
A typical meal at their table may feature slow-roasted Icelandic lamb - known for being organic and pasture-raised - or fresh local fish such as Atlantic salmon, prepared raw, smoked, or baked. Meals are thoughtfully paired with classic potato dishes and vibrant, seasonal vegetables, often grown in Iceland’s geothermal greenhouses.
Your Icelandic dining experience might begin with an appetizer like a fresh salmon salad, followed by a hearty main course such as roasted leg of lamb served with potatoes, greenhouse-grown vegetables, and a crisp salad. For dessert, enjoy something sweet and traditional, such as berries with Icelandic skyr (a cultured dairy similar to yogurt) or a seasonal fruit tart.
This Reykjavik food experience offers a meaningful way to connect with local culture, sharing a home-cooked meal and conversation in an authentic Icelandic home.
Cooking experience:
(2-12 guests)
Join Iris and Nonni in their home kitchen for a hands-on Reykjavik cooking class that offers a true taste of everyday Icelandic life. During this authentic experience, you will learn how to prepare 2–3 traditional Icelandic dishes that are simple, seasonal, and easy to recreate at home.
In their spacious, open kitchen, you’ll cook side by side with your hosts, gaining insight into Icelandic cooking techniques and ingredients. Depending on the season, you might prepare dishes such as salmon salad, fresh greens, and a homemade dessert, all made using local ingredients.
This Reykjavik cooking experience is more than just a class - it’s an opportunity to connect with Icelandic culture through food, learn family recipes, and share a meaningful meal together in a real home.
Market visit:
(2-4 guests)
Meet your local Icelandic hosts at their home in Reykjavik before setting out together for a nearby market tour. During this authentic Reykjavik market experience, your hosts will introduce you to traditional Icelandic ingredients and explain how local agriculture thrives in a harsh climate, including the use of geothermal greenhouses to grow fresh produce year-round.
As you explore the market, you may pick up a few seasonal ingredients that you will later use in your cooking class. This guided market visit offers a deeper understanding of Icelandic food culture, from locally sourced meats and seafood to unique pantry staples.
After the market tour, return to your hosts’ home for a hands-on Reykjavik cooking class, where you’ll learn to prepare a traditional Icelandic meal using the ingredients you selected together. This immersive experience combines a Reykjavik food market tour with a home cooking class, offering a meaningful way to connect with Icelandic culture through food.
Notes:
Iris is happy to accommodate vegetarian diets as part of her Icelandic cooking class - please let her know your preferences in advance.
For added convenience, round-trip transportation is available at an additional cost. Iris can pick you up from your Reykjavik hotel or cruise port and drop you off after your experience.
Languages spoken:
English, German, Icelandic
Sample menu
PERSONALLY VETTED REVIEW
A Traveling Spoon ambassador visited this host. Here is their personal review.
When you travel to Iris and Nonnie’s home you will be greeted with such warm smiles from two very interesting people who will offer you a drink and some appetizers. We enjoyed a nice getting to know you discussion about the neighborhood and how they became Icelanders. We then moved to dinner where Iris served an amazing salmon salad, Icelandic lamb, potatoes, and these curious green vegetables that looked like peas. We enjoyed truly being treated as guests, our conversation was lively, and the experience was a true joy. We tried some Icelandic after-dinner liquors with our dessert that was similar to custard with berries (very tasty). We finished our evening with some Grand Marnier and my husband wanted to try the electric bicycle for a spin so he and Nonnie went for a quick ride while Iris and I chatted. It was a very treasured experience, the generosity of the hosts was sincere, and it is an experience I will never forget.
Our dinner the previous night with one bottle of wine in a nice restaurant was $250 USD. This dinner surpassed that one measurably, and you cannot put a price on the experience to learn about the local culture and economy while enjoying an amazing dinner.
Lynda, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
Traveler reviews
The cooking class was wonderful, there was lots of information about Icelandic food &
culture, a fantastic meal & a trip to the markets & some music as well. It was a great
experience in a wonderful setting & we learned a lot about Icelandic food & culture as well.
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Shelly
August 09, 2025
The Very BEST Experience to have while in Iceland! This is a MUST experience to have while in Iceland. Iris and Nonnie greeted us so warmly and were perfect hosts from beginning to end of our time together. They have a beautiful home and they prepared an absolutely gorgeous meal for our group. We were delighted when they acquiesced to our request to sing for us. All in all, a perfect evening.
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donnaf
September 24, 2024
Iris and Nonni are excellent hosts! My wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary in Reykjavik and this was the best anniversary meal we could have asked for. Being locals, they are obviously knowledgeable of the city and country, as well as great conversation about family, music, and culture. If you get this rare opportunity to be hosted by Iris and Nonni, you will not be disappointed. They may even perform a song or two for you!
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ATLspencer76
January 31, 2023
Iris and Nonni are great, very warm and welcoming!We are new to Travelling Spoon, but Iris and Nonni are the perfect hosts. Their home is beautiful and we were lucky enough to be there when they had it decorated for Christmas and it was stunning. They instantly made us feel like old friends and we enjoyed an evening of great conversation, fantastic food that ended with some musical fun! Dinner started with appetizers of salmon two ways served with traditional breads and flatbreads. The main course was lamb two ways, a delicious slow roasted lamb in gravy and Nonni’s traditional family recipe of breaded lamb chops (both were fabulous!). We had sides of roasted potatoes, potato salad, green salad, peas and picked red cabbage. Dessert was a stuffed crepe served with fresh cream and fruit. Everything was delicious! Iris and Nonni are very musical and had a piano and a couple of guitars. Iris is a diva in training. She has been taking operatic singing lessons and has a wonderful voice, so Nonni played piano, my husband played guitar and Iris and I sang along. What fun! This night was definitely a highlight for us on our trip to Iceland and we can’t thank Iris and Nonni enough for their hospitality!
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Rusty7boy
November 27, 2019
We had dinner at Iris’ the evening of our arrival. The meal was an amazing home cooked style Icelandic dinner. The desert was particularly excellent. While our party was a little tired from travel and had to cut our evening a bit short we were treated to a private concert. The whole evening was memorable and a great start to our trip to Iceland. Thanks so much!
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Justins_journey
September 02, 2019
Fabulous experience! The food was only part of it. Our hosts were so very nice and pleasant, made music for us, and gave my husband a badly needed haircut (the hostess has a salon about a block away) being with them was a real treat!
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Camper781085
August 09, 2019
You owe this to yourself. Don't miss out! My wife and I loved it. The market tour was interesting, learning to cook the Icelandic dishes fun, dinner and conversation delicious and informative. These two are well-educated, well-traveled, and tremendously entertaining. We totally owe them some nice bottles of Oregon wine.
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Wanderlust20192019
July 11, 2019
We spent a lovely snowy afternoon in Iris and Nonni's warm and cozy place. Five of us from CA were in Iceland on a tour and had an afternoon free - we thought what better way to see Reykjavik than to have a meal in a local's home? YES! This meal and comraderie and song filled afternoon exceeded our expectations!.
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654debs
January 25, 2019
My girlfriend and I met with Iris and Nonni to learn how to cook Icelandic food. They not only welcomed us into their home but also took us to a local store, gave us a small tour of the city and hosted a fantastic meal in their home. It was one of our favorite and most memorable experiences. I would highly recommend them!
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dkmeek08
December 05, 2018
My daughter and I took a cooking class from Iris and Nonni--a very accomplished couple who love cooking and went all-out to make our experience memorable. They created a feast similar to what Icelanders prepare for Christmas. We had two starters of blinis with smoked salmon and the traditional dried fish "hardfiskur" which is eaten with delicious Icelandic butter (the best butter in the world!). Then, we had potatoes two ways, fish AND roast lamb, plus a lovely dessert. Iris is a hairstylist who has competed internationally and written two books, Nonni is an artist and musician—his amazing music was the backdrop for our meal. We definitely recommend them!
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vagabondodelmondo
September 10, 2018
Had dinner with Iris and Nonni. Learned about Icelandic society and got many good tips for local area travel. The couple are open, friendly, welcoming, and generous. And the meal was delicious!
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Clover88Live
April 03, 2018
Iris and Nonni were fantastic hosts. We chose to get an in-home meal with them the day we all arrived in Reykjavik. They were accommodating to food allergies, flexible with time, and most importantly absolutely lovely people! It was a great way to start our trip and get a flavor for the culture, places we should visit, local suggestions, etc. They were energetic, fun, and funny! They matched my group's energy well. Everyone had a great time, and I cannot recommend Iris and Nonni enough!
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KristiSF
October 16, 2017
"Iris and Nonni were fantastic hosts. We chose to get an in-home meal with them the day we all arrived in Reykjavik. They were accommodating to food allergies, flexible with time, and most importantly absolutely lovely people! It was a great way to start our trip and get a flavor for the culture, places we should visit, local suggestions, etc. They were energetic, fun, and funny! They matched my group's energy well. Everyone had a great time, and I cannot recommend Iris and Nonni enough!"
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KristiSF
September 01, 2017
Iris and Nonni were fantastic hosts. We chose to get an in-home meal with them the day we all arrived in Reykjavik. They were accommodating to food allergies, flexible with time, and most importantly absolutely lovely people! It was a great way to start our trip and get a flavor for the culture, places we should visit, local suggestions, etc. They were energetic, fun, and funny! They matched my group's energy well. Everyone had a great time, and I cannot recommend Iris and Nonni enough!
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Kristi
August 05, 2017
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