Visit Finland is inviting travellers to apply for Finland’s Official Tasting Table, a new culinary experience that introduces Finnish food culture through regional menus, local chefs, and dining experiences connected to nature.
The tastings will take place in Finland in September 2026, with one hosted in the Coast and Archipelago region and the other in Lapland. The experience is part of Visit Finland’s Have Some Finnish campaign, which brings attention to Finnish cuisine through local ingredients, regional traditions, and the people behind the food.
Applications are open until June 9, 2026 at 11:59 AM Finnish time. A total of 16 participants will be selected, with eight guests taking part in each tasting. The selected participants will be announced on June 29, 2026.
To apply, participants can enter alone or with one additional person. The process includes posting a video on Instagram or TikTok introducing themselves and answering why they want to Have Some Finnish. Applicants must use the hashtag #HaveSomeFinnish, tag Visit Finland, and complete the sign-up form through the campaign site.
Finland’s Food Culture, Told Through Place
Finnish cuisine is closely connected to nature, seasonality, and regional identity. The country’s food culture includes fresh fish, wild game, berries, mushrooms, foraging, sauna food traditions, and simple preparations built around local ingredients.
For Finland’s Official Tasting Table, Visit Finland gathered input from people across the country, including locals, fishermen, farmers, and cooks. Their responses helped shape two official tasting menus, each created by a Finnish chef and rooted in the character of their region.
The Coast and Archipelago tasting will reflect the Baltic Sea, island landscapes, and coastal food traditions. The Lapland tasting will focus on northern ingredients, Arctic surroundings, and the food culture of Finland’s far north.
Coast and Archipelago Tasting
The Coast and Archipelago menu will be created by chef Erik Mansikka, founder of Restaurant Kaskis in Turku. Restaurant Kaskis is one of Finland’s noted dining rooms. The restaurant received a Michelin star in 2022 and later received a Michelin Green Star in 2025 for sustainability.
Mansikka’s cooking is rooted in local ingredients, seasonality, and careful technique. For this tasting, the Coast and Archipelago region will guide the menu, with the sea, islands, and local food traditions shaping the experience.
Lapland Tasting
The Lapland menu will be created by chef Joel Manninen of Sky Kitchen & View, located at Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara in Rovaniemi. Sky Kitchen & View is set on Ounasvaara fell and is known for their views over the surrounding landscape. The restaurant’s menu reflects northern nature, seasonal ingredients, and the flavours of Lapland.
Manninen represents a younger generation of Finnish culinary talent. His cooking focuses on northern ingredients, precise technique, and a contemporary view of Arctic food culture.
Key Details
- Finland’s Official Tasting Table will take place in September 2026.
- One tasting will be held in the Coast and Archipelago region.
- One tasting will be held in Lapland.
- Applications close on June 9, 2026 at 11:59 AM Finnish time.
- Eight participants will be selected for each tasting.
- Selected participants will be announced on June 29, 2026.
- Applicants may apply alone or with one additional person.
- Entry requires a social media video on Instagram or TikTok, the hashtag #HaveSomeFinnish, tagging Visit Finland, and submitting the campaign sign-up form.
A Different Way to Experience Finland
This tasting series gives travellers a more personal way to understand Finland through food. Rather than presenting Finnish cuisine only through restaurant dining, the experience connects each menu to the region where it is served.
The Coast and Archipelago tasting brings attention to Finland’s relationship with the sea, islands, and coastal communities. The Lapland tasting offers a look at northern food culture through ingredients and traditions shaped by Arctic conditions.
For food-focused travellers, Finland’s Official Tasting Table offers a chance to experience the country through flavour, landscape, and the people who help define their regional food culture.
Applications for Finland’s Official Tasting Table are now open through Visit Finland’s Have Some Finnish campaign.