Fia Gulliksson

As long as I remember Pippi Longstocking has been my role model. She’s everything I strive to be. Strong, brave, good-hearted, creative, free, a great friend, a bit wild and she’s financially independent. If you’re like Pippi you’re a bit “eljest” in most societies. Eljest being a bit odd or otherwise. Our structural norms don’t value female Pippi’s the same as a man person with the same qualities. The reason’s for that is the patriarchal structures that make us all biased.

But finally, the press AND men like Rene Redzepi are realising that bringing in Pippi’s or ie female game changer will improve and make the global food scene better than ever! Gender equality in the gastronomy world might be even more important than in other areas since our business is so unequal!

Not taking in and value Pippi’s and the female aspects in the food world is like running a marathon – jumping on only one leg!

On March 4th the Food in Action team went to Malmö to join the 4th edition of Parabere Forum, an independent international platform featuring women’s views and voices on major food issues. “

During 2 days we had the beautiful opportunity to get inspired by 402 amazing and brave Pippi’s from around the globe. We have learned so many incredible things, but the most important of all, we have learned that we are not alone in this fight.

Many magic Pippi´s at Parabere Forum in Malmö 4-5th of March 2018

Listen. Learn. Share. Repeat!

An English Pippi thaught us all about aquaponics and that salad could be social. Growing urban food in a sustainable way is possible even if you live in a big city like London. We discovered that edible ideas finally have a home in Malmö with Gro’ up thanks to many strong Pippi’s. They run an inclusive space where everyone can explore and develop new sustainable ways to enjoy food culture. A Pippi from Sydney made us realise that even “useless” urban spaces can give a lot of opportunities to build your own garden and delicious-organic vegetables or fruits. Many and impressive Yalla-Pippi’s uses food as an integration tool to cook up social sustainability in any city or community of the world.

Documentary Australia Foundation www.documentaryaustralia.com.au/films/3943/waste-nation

A very brave French Pippi taught us new ways of how to use bread as an ingredient, avoiding waste. We laughed until tears while listening to a gobsmacking funny Brittish Pippi about”sitopia” and hoe food shapes our cities. We were moved to tears whilst listening to an amazing Pippi with roots from South Africa made her dream of nourishing a country, while reducing food waste, came true.

We applauded and acclaimed the moment when one of the best chefs of the world – René Redzepi from Noma – said he want’s to make the new Noma the best workplace in the world through team equality, empowering females and zero tolerance to “asshole” behavior.

Solving issues around how we are biased when it comes to gender and general equality will bring people to new levels of creativity.

Hearing these words from one of the most powerful men in the food world wraps us the message to all magic women in the world: Be a Pippi Longstocking – dear to be “eljest”. Now there’s much more room for us!

It will probably also make new Noma the No1 restaurant in the world as well!

Yours truly / Fia – Food In Action

For decades I have felt and been treated as “eljest” in my cute little hometown Östersund. For decades I’ve worked hard through Food In Action to change the world through creating GOOD* food systems, brands and project.

Even though my work has been rewarded and successful in many ways it hasn’t always been easy to be a passionate potato. But just recently – all this have changed! *taste, sustainable, healthy, culture

I’m sure you all know about the small town syndrome – when people’s thoughts about life are limited by a mental box. This can make creative people feel trapped and suffocated – longing to be in another place with more mental hight – full of likeminded that wants to change the world for the better through their creative actions.

Ever felt the need of being surrounded by wholehearted people in a place where prestige and master suppression techniques are not part of the daily life? I feel that need and now it’s all here. In Östersund.

Food in Action @Gomorron

The little town is not suffering from the small town syndrome anymore. Right now Östersund is the coolest little hotspot in the world! And being “eljest” – a bit odd, otherwise or different – might be the new Swedish word taking the world by storm. Just as “hygge” and “lagom” has done. Östersund’s football club ÖFK and a new cool co-working space Gomorron Östersund broke the mental ice barriers in my sporty Winter City. Now it feels like a Creative City for real. Anything is possible and the mental limits are no longer boxed in folks!

Here’s the best version of the magic Saga behind ÖFK’s groundbreaking method of beeing and acting”eljest”. Watch video here

Fia Gulliksson – CEO & Founder

It’s hard to believe that some of our Nordic countries have been in a battle with each other for hundreds of years. Especially since we share the same values of equality, openness, simplicity, trust, and compassion.

It’s deeply rooted in all Nordic cultures and in turn, leads to a core system of beliefs, when it comes to leading a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Even though we don’t fight any longer, it’s still groundbreaking that eight Nordic destinations will come together to serve up London’s 1st celebration of the tastiest treats from the lands of the midnight sun. We call it The Great Nordic Feast. And it will be one great feast, I promise! And guess if I’m proud to be part of this!

You will be introduced to some of the most top culinary talents from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland as well as the lesser-known Nordic regions of Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Together with some of UK’s most interesting and influential chefs, they will cook up a Nordic storm. And for a change, at least in the Food world, it’s an event where the majority of the really skilled chefs happen to be women!

The Great Nordic Feast is all about connecting talented and passionate chefs and people through good food, our lifestyle (including cooking on fire), clean ingredients, foraging, equality, and inclusiveness. The Nordic soils and landscape are among the most pristine on the planet, the changing seasons and the wilderness on our doorstep can make every day an adventure.

“Food In Action’s Fia Gulliksson takes food, creativity and the countryside seriously. Fia is a successful food artisan, uniting high-quality gastronomy, creativity, and culture with a strong focus on sustainability.”

With these words it was announced that Fia Gulliksson will be awarded an honorary doctorate from Mid Sweden University on the 14th of October 2016. Appointed for her work with numerous sustainable brands that have put Jämtland on the map, including “Östersund – Creative City of Gastronomy” in UNESCO’s network, the Jazzkitchen restaurant, Gastronomy JH and Brunkullan Tea Company.

– “From Chef to Honorary Doctor, I’m still trying to digest the news. I’m of course incredibly proud and happy and will do everything I can to deserve it”, says Fia.

Food In Action, with Fia at the forefront, has just concluded a major concept for the UCCN2016 week, when the world came to visit Jämtland and crEATive Östersund. Over 50 international chefs and gastronomes participated in a cultural festival that will go down in Östersund’s history, including Cultural Kitchen from Finland, Mette Helbæk from Danmark, Food Studio and Chefs Dinner from Norge, and Jamal Hashi from NYC. How Jamal got here is an amazing story you can read here.

Festivities were organised for UNESCO delegates from almost 120 cities in 55 countries, and for local residents. Apropos the way in which rural events are not publicised in big cities, it is still remarkable that this UN meeting and the food and culture week were not covered by Sweden’s national media.

Fia has just returned home from an exciting guest appearance in “Dinner with a view”, an event that was held in the mountains south-east of Krakow, Poland. She and Chef Malika created an outstanding luxury dinner, 13 servings, all prepared al fresco over an open fire.

Watch this teaser from “Dinner with a view”

“Just the way we do things at home in Jämtland, when we enjoy the best of our green gold, our nature and ingredients, I felt right at home”, says Fia proudly.

Her passionate commitment to resource efficiency and sustainable development, as well as her confidence and enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and regional development are genuinely inspiring. So inspiring it attracts people from all over the world, like Carli Ratcliff – a freelance journalist who writes for Monocle, among others.

“I’’d like to quote the journalist Carli Ratcliff. She says that it’s time for Nordic rural areas to realise that our ‘ordinary’ is extremely attractive, a new type of luxury, and that this is ‘extraordinary’ for visitors and businesspeople from around the world. Managing this treasure and crEATive capital is my aim in life,” says Fia.

In addition to travelling the world and providing inspiration for more crEATive capital, the founder of Food In Action is currently writing a book with the working title: crEATive food & action -the essentials for sustainable business and real profit.

Book Fia for a workshop, a lecture or a guest appearance here!

First I need to explain the word Loadstar. It means: A star used to guide seafaring travellers, most typically Polaris, the North Star. Something that acts as a model or inspiration.

“Lodestars Anthology, an independent magazine-meets-journal for curious globeatrotters who long to be inspired, see the world and meet interesting characters along the road. Focusing on one country per issue, it is a scrapbook of place, getting to the heart of a location and uncovering its quirks, charm and splendour.”