Lutefisk (Norwegian) or Lutfisk (Swedish) (pronounced [lʉːtfesk] in Northern Norway, [lʉːtəfɪsk] in Central and Southern Norway, [lʉːtfɪsk] in Sweden and the Swedish-speaking areas in Finland (Finnish: lipeäkala)) is a traditional dish of the Nordic countries and parts of the Midwest United States. It is made from aged stockfish (air-dried whitefish) or dried/salted whitefish (klippfisk) and lye (lut). It is gelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odor. Its name literally means "lye fish."

Lutefisk is made from dried whitefish (normally cod in Norway, but ling is also used) prepared with lye in a sequence of particular treatments. The watering steps of these treatments differ slightly for salted/dried whitefish because of its high salt content.

The first treatment is to soak the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent producing a jelly-like consistency. When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) has a pH value of 11–12 and is therefore caustic. To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.

Bent Stiansen (born June 18, 1963) is a Norwegian chef, who in 1993 became the first Scandinavian gold medal winner of the Bocuse d'Or.

Stiansen was born in Arendal. In 1994, with his Danish wife Anette, he established the restaurant Statholdergaarden in Oslo, which they ran together until her death in May 2010. It is merited with one Michelin star, and its wine selection rated "Best of Award of Exellence" by Wine Spectator. In conjunction with the restaurant, located beneath there is also a more informal Danish inn, Statholderens Krostue, at the former Oslo lodgings of Tordenskjold.