Meet our Sámi Culinary Ambassador, Máret Rávdná Buljo
Máret Rávdná Buljo is a reindeer herder, food storyteller and cultural custodian. And as Hurtigruten’s first Sámi Culinary Ambassador, she’s helping bring the flavours, ethics and stories of Sámi food culture on board.
Máret’s new role as our Sámi Culinary Ambassador is only the latest step in her life-long calling to protect and preserve the food traditions of the Sámi people – the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. The Sámi way of life is defined by their profound relationship with the natural world, at the very heart of which lies their harmonious bond with reindeer.
Born into a reindeer-herding, cloudberry-picking family in Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost county, Máret got her first reindeer at just one year old. By 14, she was self-employed, earning a living from reindeer meat and duodji, traditional Sámi handicrafts.
Since then, she has interviewed Sámi elders, documented traditional Sámi slaughter practices, and worked hard to challenge misconceptions about Sámi people – especially around Sámi food.
In 2019, she became the youngest ever and the first Sámi recipient of the Ingrid Espelid Hovig award, which honours those who have made a significant contribution to Norwegian food culture.
Today, she and her husband run Boazovázzi, a reindeer farm in Lødingen, where guests get to experience Sámi food culture up close. Here, every cut of meat, every berry picked, every herb harvested reflects a way of life rooted in respect and balance.
A pact with reindeer
She speaks of a Sámi legend about humans and reindeer being bound by a mutual pact. Long ago, reindeer chose humans to protect them from wolves so they could graze in peace. In return, humans were given meat, skins, antlers and bones for food, tools and clothing.
Respect for their place in nature is the reason Sámi eat or use every part of the animal. As she sees it now, Máret’s role is to honour this agreement by continuing to care for and to use every part of the animal.
“We don't have packs of wolves roaming the land anymore but we’re still trying to protect the reindeer. Today’s wolves have wheels," says Maret, referring to modern roads and rail lines criss-crossing grazing land, “or they take reindeer land for big industry … That is why I want to do something to show the importance of having that soul connection with your food. It's not only reindeer, but fish in the sea, salmon in the rivers, plants in the forest and berries in the high mountains.”
It’s why Máret has dedicated so much of her time and effort to collecting and sharing stories of Sámi food culture – and why she’s collaborating with us to bring authentic Sámi ingredients and cooking methods to our ships.
“I feel a responsibility for bringing Sámi stories to the table. I know Hurtigruten is high quality, and I want to tell our stories on that level. I don't want Sámi stories to only be the entertainment. I want to bring the serious and ethical thoughts behind our food into the light.”
This isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about safeguarding a culture that still has much to teach. Máret isn’t interested in preserving the traditions as museum pieces. Her work blends ancient recipes with modern tastes, keeping the original flavour and ethos alive in every dish.
“It’s exciting to make dishes that bring the flavours together, but also keep the Sámi taste and story,” she says. “I can do this because of my deep understanding of Sámi food.”
A life-long calling
But Máret’s relationship to reindeer runs deeper than farming. She traces it back to a moment during the spring migration when she was three years old.
“I was lying in the sled and my grandmother's reindeer kept coming over to look down on me … The eye contact, that's not something I’ll ever forget. It’s been in my mind and in my heart since then. It's a soul-to-soul connection.”
That connection is something Máret brings to every aspect of her cooking. Her knowledge doesn’t come from books; it’s been passed down through generations. Her mission is to protect Sámi food culture by sharing it – not as a trend, but as a way of life.
Slow living and slow food is a trend right now. But it is my whole life. It is something I need to do. I’m a very spiritual person. I feel my ancestors in me, this is what they want me to do.
A more thoughtful way to eat
When Máret tells us about her life in food, she talks about naming reindeer for their special characteristics, foraging in the high mountains of Lofoten, summertime cloudberry picking and the silence of the plains.
“When I’m with my reindeer or fishing, that’s when I feel peace. It's so strong a feeling. And all the people who have done this work before me, you can feel it in the ground. In the Sámi way of thinking, everything in nature has a soul and spirit, even the cold, grey stone has energy. You just have to listen.”
Taste of Norway's shores and Sámi roots
Máret's food is an invitation to slow down, listen to the land and eat with intention. You can get a taste of that world on board our ships. Her approach sits at the heart of Norway’s Coastal Kitchen – our food concept that celebrates local ingredients, seasonal rhythms and the deep connection between what’s on the plate and the coast outside your window.
In restaurants on both our Signature and Original ships, you can taste dishes created by Máret to bring Sámi food traditions to a wider audience and help tell the story of her people.
Try patties made from mushrooms left untouched by the reindeer for us to eat, reindeer broth originally intended to strengthen the heart or boost your mood, and lingonberry porridge that transports you to heather-carpeted mountainsides bathed in the light of a setting sun.
Máret’s influence is shaping how we think about food, sustainability and cultural respect at Hurtigruten. From her deep understanding of Sámi flavours to her work with our apprentices, she’s helping keep Sámi food culture alive – not just for show, but for the generations to come.
Taste Sámi food culture on your voyage
On our Signature and Original Voyages, Sámi flavours are part of the journey. Thoughtful, seasonal dishes created by Máret Rávdná Buljo invite you to slow down and eat with intention — surrounded by the landscapes that shaped them.
