Elin Lindqvist

Elin grew up on a small farm outside Karlstad and trained as a chef in Gothenburg. After eight years in restaurant kitchens she wanted to understand food beyond the plate, so she studied nutrition and qualified as a coach in 2019. She has hosted retreats at Sjövik Lodge since 2021 and runs the kitchen there with the family who own the lodge.

Her approach to food is practical and unfussy: seasonal vegetables, local fish, good bread and plenty of it. She doesn't follow diets or count anything, and she won't tell you what to eat. She is happy to explain how she plans a week of meals and to share recipes simple enough to cook on a weeknight. Allergies and dietary needs are handled carefully, with separate preparation where it matters.

Elin co-hosts Spring Stillness with Marcus Hale and leads Lakeside Reset. Most mornings she leads 20 to 30 minutes of gentle, optional movement by the water before breakfast. Afternoons might be a forest walk with wild blueberry picking or a cooking demonstration in the lodge kitchen, where you help prepare that evening's dinner. She also keeps the sauna warm and is the first person to ask if you need anything during the week.

There is nothing to prepare and no level to reach. Both of her retreats are beginner friendly. The morning movement is designed for stiff bodies, the walks are on mostly flat forest paths, and you can join the cooking with a knife or just a cup of coffee. If you have never used a wood-fired sauna, she will show you how it works and how long to stay in.

Outside the retreat season Elin runs cookery classes in Karlstad, writes seasonal menus for the lodge's summer guests and spends the autumn foraging and preserving for the year ahead.