New Stockfish Ambassador in Italy

Chef Daniel Canzian is the new ambassador for Norwegian stockfish in Italy. With his help, the Norwegian Seafood Council aims to strengthen its efforts to promote stockfish in Italy’s major cities.

“Promoting stockfish means carrying forward a tradition with a modern vision, one defined by respect, simplicity, and identity,” said Chef Canzian upon being named stockfish ambassador.

With his appointment, Canzian becomes the thirteenth Italian chef to hold the title.

A stockfish ambassador’s key mission is to increase awareness, strengthen the image, and build preference for this traditional Norwegian product, one with centuries-old roots in Italian cuisine.

According to Tom-Jørgen Gangsø, the Norwegian Seafood Council’s representative in Italy, Canzian was carefully selected among several outstanding candidates.

“His dedication to regional traditions, his careful selection of ingredients, and his ability to combine creativity with authenticity make him the ideal interpreter to promote one of Norway’s most exclusive seafood products in Italy,” said Gangsø.

Canzian is a devoted stockfish enthusiast and an influential voice within both the Italian and international culinary scenes. He is a food influencer with tens of thousands of followers and currently serves as president of Jeunes Restaurateurs, the international organisation for young chefs.

“The fact that he comes from Veneto, one of the most important stockfish regions in Italy, and runs his own restaurant in the heart of Milan is an extra bonus,” Gangsø added.

Strengthening stockfish in Italy’s urban markets

Italy remains the most important market for Norwegian stockfish. In recent years, however, consumption has declined — due to factors such as increased competition from other seafood products, record-high prices linked to lower cod quotas and reduced stockfish production, as well as changing consumer habits.

“With an ageing but loyal consumer base and traditional usage patterns, we see a need to reposition the product to ensure future growth,” Gangsø explained.

One key objective is to enhance the perceived value of Norwegian stockfish, thereby maintaining willingness to pay at a time of lower supply and higher prices. Another goal is to increase visibility and activity in larger cities, beyond the traditional stockfish regions.

Milan, where Daniel Canzian runs his namesake restaurant, will be the first focus area.

As a hub for culinary trends and migration from regions with strong stockfish traditions such as Veneto, Liguria, Calabria and Campania, Milan offers fertile ground for renewed growth.

“Many newcomers bring their food traditions with them, and recently we’ve seen rising sales of convenient, ready-to-eat stockfish products.”

According to Nielsen data, Lombardy, led by Milan, saw the highest growth in stockfish sales in 2024.

Caption: After remaining stable at around 2,500 tonnes annually, exports have dropped below 2,000 tonnes over the past five years — with the exception of an increase during the pandemic year 2021.

Collaborating with leading chefs

Partnering with renowned chefs like Daniel Canzian is a key part of the repositioning strategy, chefs who both innovate with inspiring new recipes and preserve traditional ways of preparing stockfish.

“It’s about finding balance between memory and innovation, between tradition and the art of simplicity,” said Canzian when celebrated as the new stockfish ambassador.

For the occasion, he served a dish worthy of the title:

“Stoccafisso in umido di Carote e Zenzero”, a beautifully balanced creation of stockfish, carrots, and ginger-lemon juice.

Across generations, all stockfish ambassadors have shared the same values: passion for quality ingredients, seasonality, and food with heritage and authenticity.

“They’re driven by passion and a genuine love for stockfish, with a sincere desire to strengthen its position,” said Gangsø.

The ambassadors help raise awareness in social media and through various public events that generate positive publicity for this Norwegian culinary icon. Beyond that, how they use the title is largely up to each individual. Yet many continue to contribute through lectures, articles, interviews and social posts, even after their two-year ambassador term has ended.