International media and restaurant industry professionals from all over the Nordics head to Helsinki in the coming days as the city prepares to host one the world’s most prestigious restaurant events, the MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony.
The event, which takes place on May 27th at Helsinki’s Savoy Theatre, comes at a time when Helsinki continues to strengthen its profile as a culinary destination, preparing for a summer filled with food-themed events. Visitors will be able to sample the city’s rich culinary culture by enjoying food and drinks at the many restaurants participating in the Feast Helsinki food weeks and by watching the award ceremony live at a viewing grandstand.
This is the first time the ceremony will be held in Helsinki, Finland’s capital city. During the weekend leading up to the ceremony, the Feast Helsinki food event, kicking off on May 24th, gives locals and visitors alike the opportunity to enjoy the city’s top restaurants, which will be extending their opening hours on Sunday and Monday. Feast Helsinki, a major joint effort by the restaurant, tourism and event sectors in the region, will then continue until June 16th, highlighting the vibrant food scene in Helsinki by putting on over 100 events.
Feast Helsinki is a highlight of a food-themed year, during which the city will see more than 450 events in total. “Gastronomy plays a vital role when people decide where to travel. It is important that Helsinki has culinary experiences to offer for the visitors year round” comments Anu Syrmä, Brand, Marketing and Communications Director, Helsinki Partners.
Helsinki’s growing culinary reputation
The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony, hosted by the city in cooperation with Visit Finland, as well as the Finnish food and drink industry firms of Fazer, The Helsinki Distilling Company, Kespro and Valio Aimo, gathers the Nordic region’s top chefs and other industry professionals at the Savoy Theatre and the City Hall on Monday evening.
The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries publication highlights exceptional food in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, and the MICHELIN stars awarded at the ceremony are the most coveted and respected recognition of excellence in the restaurant industry. In addition to them, other awards, such as the MICHELIN Green Stars, awarded to restaurants that offer first-class environmentally friendly and sustainable dining experiences, will be presented at the reveal. The event is expected to attract hundreds of restaurant industry professionals and international media representatives to Helsinki.
”We are thrilled and honoured to host the upcoming MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony next week. We can’t wait to welcome everyone and showcase our excellent offerings and unique culinary scene to our quests. Helsinki undoubtedly deserves its spot on the gastronomic map”, says Nina Vesterinen, Tourism Director, City of Helsinki.
The 2023 edition of the Nordic Guide contained a total of 271 restaurants, 81 of which were rated with one, two or three stars. Five of Finland’s MICHELIN-starred restaurants are located in Helsinki. Finnjävel Salonki, Olo, Demo and Grön hold one star, while Palace is rated as Finland’s only two-star restaurant. Kaskis in the southwest coastal city of Turku and Vår in the southern city of Porvoo have one star each, with Vår also boasting a MICHELIN Green Star. In addition, three restaurants in Helsinki – Natura, Nolla and Grön – currently hold a Green Star.
Food is an important tourist attraction factor for the whole of Finland, and Helsinki plays an important role as the country’s largest city and capital. Over the past decade, its food scene has seen a rapid transformation, for which the MICHELIN stars and the opportunity to host the ceremony are a welcome indication. Finland got its first MICHELIN-star restaurant – Palace – in 1987, after which the amount of top-rated restaurants has been steadily growing.