From lake to plate: sustainable gastronomy and the (in)accessible wild Arctic char

Is local gastronomy viable when traditional ingredients become inaccessible? In Swedish Sápmi, the region historically inhabited by the Sámi, wild Arctic char has been a staple ingredient for both Sámi and later settlers. Today, it is symbolic to northern Swedish gastronomy but hardly found at stores/restaurants and accessed mainly through informal networks. Using the concepts of commoditization and singularization as analytical tools, I follow the wild Arctic char from when it is fished to when it is served in gastronomic venues, with the aim to explore the different meanings ascribed to the wild Arctic char in Sápmi, and how they impact on the conditions for sustainable gastronomy. Results show that the wild Arctic char eludes commodity status when understood as part of the cultural landscape, as a marker of time, or as an exclusive and gastronomic experience. I argue that these moments of singularization show that the sustainability of local gastronomy does not only depend on the way food products are obtained, prepared, served, and discarded, but is also connected to a democratic principle based on cultural values, norms, and customs. This entails having access to foods which connect individuals and communities to their origin, ancestors, traditions, and identity.