Iris restaurant at Salmon Eye to become invitation-only

Iris, the Michelin-starred restaurant located within the Salmon Eye floating structure in Norway’s Hardangerfjord, will transition to an invitation-only model in 2026. The owners, Eide Fjordbruk, announced that public bookings have concluded as they rework the concept to focus on the future of food and sustainability.

The transition follows the resignation of Danish chef Anika Madsen and restaurant manager Nico Danielsen, who returned to Copenhagen at the start of 2026. While the restaurant undergoes this restructuring, which has affected thirteen staff members, the Salmon Eye visitor center remains open to the public.

Previously, the restaurant offered an 18-course menu inside the 1,256-tonne structure, focusing on farmed salmon, local shellfish, and unconventional ingredients like insects and algae. Despite receiving a Michelin star in 2024 and recognition from Time magazine, the restaurant had reportedly been operating at a loss.