THE SOMMEL IER
TommyØrnewald is thekindof personwe
hadn’t expected tomeet inSvalbard. Thegeneral
managerofHuset –anoldcommunitybuilding
thatnowhousesSvalbard’sbest restaurant – is
sharp-suited, suaveand funny. If anurbane
sommelier fromGothenburg seemsanunlikely
fit, Tommyexplains: “I came towork in thewine
cellar threeyearsagoand I couldn’t quit; I couldn’t
stop staringout of thewindow.”
Whenhe’snotout in thewilderness (when
we’re there,he’s justhada run-inwithapolarbear
outsidehiscabin),Tommyworks 100-hourweeks
overseeingHuset’s restaurant, bar, theatreandclub
(it’s
the
place tobeonweekends), aswell asSvalbar
in town–buthis labourof love isHuset’swine
cellar,which isoneof thebiggest inScandinavia,
boasting 1,250 labelsand25,000bottles.Thecellar
was thebrainchildof formermanagerHroarHolm,
whowasatHuset for22years, butTommyhas
taken thecellar to thenext level, bringing in four
newsommeliersandmodernising thecollection.
“You’realwaysgoing togetagood reputationwhen
you’re thebest in town,”hesays. “Butwewant tobe
better than that.”
huset.com
Steve
THE ALL-ROUNDER
Steve Torgersencame toSvalbard24 years
ago, as a 15-year-old. “Itwas -32
o
C, andmy
breathwas freezing. I thought: This is cool.”
Today, Stevehas his fingers inmanypies –he
runs guidecompany SvalbardExplorer, co-
owns anexpeditionboat for 12people, and
is involved in amassiveproject to renovate
Gruvelageret, anoldminingwarehouse that
he’s turning into a restaurant andcultural
centre. But for nowhe’s still best known
for local institution theKarlsberger Pub, a
rockingDanish-themedman-pub that also
claims northernEurope’s best selectionof
whiskies andCognacs, including300 single
malts. As Steve says: “I’m always busy, but
life is good–why search formore?”
svalbardexplorer.no
Heiko
THE TOUR GUIDE
ThedrilywittyHeikoKuhrhasworked
withSpitsbergenTravel since2004and
is alsoagiftednaturephotographer.He
droveusup theglacier inan snowcat,
usually the transport for icecave tours.
spitsbergentravel.com
Huset’s six-course
Arcticmenu.Our
favouriteswere the
Svalbard reindeer
sausagewith
celeriac, and apea
soupwithpork and
blackpudding.
huset.com
SmokedMinke
whalewith red
onionmarmalade,
mushroom and sour
cream at Kroa.
kroa-svalbard.no
The seafood
bisque at the
Funktionærmessen
Restaurant in the
SpitsbergenHotel.
spitsbergen
travel.com
Rock ’n’ roll
(97%)
Other (3%)
Thebest
things
we ate
On the
Karlsberger
Pub stereo
Tommy
Svalbard
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