Linnea Hellström

Hæ,
here's some info about Linnea & her foods!

Linnea & her cat Núni preaching veganism in Icelandic morning paper

Linnea is from Sweden. Growing up on a farm in the countryside in Dalarna made her passionate about animal welfare at an early age. Running wild as a child in deep forests automatically connected her and her sisters to the nature around them, so they didn't have to make that connection later on in life. At least Linnea credits her upbringing a lot for naturally leading her towards the vegan path. As most teenagers she was angry about injustice and wanted to change the world. The later part never changed in her ever since, and though she remembers her days of direct animal and human rights activism fondly, eventually she realized that to create real change she had to offer solutions. Activism all the same, but in a more positive mental attitude way.
As she discovered she had a talent for flavors, it began to make sense to her. People really seemed to like her vegan food, even the ones aggressively arguing opposite opinions.
After studying mostly art related subjects like theatre, painting and photography, she realized food was just another media and that she could use to make edible art.

She moved from her hometown to Stockholm and started her culinary carousel. But stuff really got started getting tasty once she moved to Barcelona and was able to study under some accomplished vegan chefs and learn about cooking styles from all over the world. It unlocked a lot in her, and already the concept of veganæs was shaping. The more foreign food cultures she got to know, the more patterns and similarities emerged. Anything can be veganæsed, if you only find the core to what makes it good to begin with. Not to mention Spanish cuisine really leveled up her tastebuds. It was an equally humbling and inspiring feeling to realize there's always endlessly more to learn. So she set out to find as many keys to unlock as many doors of seasoning, styles and skills as she could find.
She suspects this is a lifelong commitment, but really enjoyable if you're considering it.

Before moving to Iceland she spent a total of about five years living in Spain, Mexico and the United States, traveling that has hugely inspired her vegancooking style. Ever since finding her home here she has had her heart set on opening a vegan restaurant in Reykjavík, finally the right place, now she only needed the right time. So meanwhile she set out to veganæs Iceland in every small and sometimes seemingly impossible way, relentlessly spreading vegan options where ever its been welcomed and then some more. You might have tried her food at Bast, Gló, Kaffihús Vesturbæjar, Taquería and No mames foodtruck, or music festivals and events like Norðanpaunk, Pop up markets and cooking courses throught the last few years, or maybe you've tried some of her recipes released by Krónan last year. It's a big spread of cooking styles which is part the point, anything can be veganæsed!

Various vegan food in Reykjavík 2013-16
Icelandic menus, dishes & works.
By Linnea for Bast, Gló, Kaffihús Vesturbæjer, Taquería & Kaffi Vínyl.

Awarded for her veganæsing initiatives by Samtök grænmetisæta á Íslandi
2015

Collaborations with Krónan supermarket chain to spread vegan grillness and goodness

Linneas last Icelandic project was creating the vegan menu at Kaffi Vínyl, starting out as a veganæsing effort during Veganúar in 2016, and went on to become a success. year she tried out some larger scale veganæsation by working as a productdeveloper with the Swedish company Food for Progress, behind the soy product Oumph! It was a great adventure, among other things it lead to four new Oumph! flavours by Linnea; Salty & Smoky, BiBim Oumph!, Tandoori BBQ and Tarragon & Lemon. The two first are available in Icelandic stores already, the two later due to come out soon.

Oumph! By Linnea
Product development & various works 2016

Linnea is obviously all about Veganæs food, but all this is not all about her or all about food. It's about generating more næsness by collaborating, by working together with good people and making the best use of everybody's special powers.
Eating, living, working and creating, is ultimately all about balance.

Linnea + Krummi

Besides being partners, cat parents and best friends, Linnea and Krummi work a whole lot together. They even met working, at Linneas first job in Iceland managing the bar Dillon, where Krummi had recently started working as a promoter, booker and sound mixer. They instantly got along with lots of need to do attitude in common, and a long time later here we are. Since meeting they have collaborated on countless projects, both for profit or for fun, usually both.

/// DÖPUR
Linnea and Krummi have a band together called Döpur (the female Icelandic for 'Sad')
It started out as Krummis nois side project, and since Linnea joined in 2014 on keyboards and later bass, they have developed a more doom gaze/post punk sound.
They have played Iceland Airwaves festival twice since then, as well as Norðanpaunk, a DIY punk festival they were also both involved with organizing. Needless to say they make all their own merch.
Besides playing shows around town, and combined DJ sets they call DÖPUR DISKÓ, they recently released a 7" split vinyl with their friends in ROHT, another noisy duo. They are currently working on their first full length album.

VEGANÆSING
They are always finding more ways to combine their passions for music and food. Especially since Krummi went fully vegan himself a few years ago, butbefore as well, like putting up annual Cruelty free Xmas pop up markets together since 2013. They make up great food together and enjoy making things happen.

Various collaborations
By Linnea & Krummi

Linnea + Össi

They also met around the time Linnea came to Iceland. Össi's studio is across the street from Dillon, so they just became friends right away as she remembers it. Össi veganæsed himself around the same time Krummi did, which elevated all of their friendships. Being a brilliant illustrator Össi has designed menus and logos for Linneas vegan food, and since going veganæs they have been collaborating further around food and recipes.
Since Össi like most veganæsed people developed new and great cooking skills with a fresh new flavor palette, they have made up some tasty food together. Also they hosted a course in how to hack vegan sauce, talked veganism on the radio, promoted veganism in connection with Veganúar the first month of the year by designing dishes and slogans. They have grand plans for a How to Veganæs cook book in mind for the future.

Various vegan collaborations
By Linnea & Össi

Reykjavík is ready for an all vegan diner now, no holds back, no cow milk, no compromise. Just great food.

In the immortal words of the Doors
The time to hesitate is through

Various vegan projects & collaborations in Iceland 2013-17

Thanks to all of you for all these fun times!

Save the animals
Slay the vegetables

Love,
Linnea