For the first time, Finland is officially opening its table to the world – and anyone can RSVP for a seat. Recently named the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year in the UN World Happiness Report, Finland is inviting international travellers to discover one of its best-kept secrets: its food. With the launch of Finland’s Official Tasting Table, Visit Finland is offering 16 international guests the chance to experience the country through two exclusive, all-expenses-paid culinary journeys taking place in September 2026, in the Coast & Archipelago region and Lapland.
While Finland has long been celebrated for its happiness, its culinary culture has remained one of its lesser-known stories internationally. Rooted in pure ingredients, simplicity, seasonality and a deep connection to nature, Finnish cuisine offers travellers a distinctive gastronomic identity shaped by both tradition and a new generation of chefs.
Through Finland’s Official Tasting Table, selected guests will embark on immersive four-day journeys designed to showcase the flavours, landscapes and traditions that define each region, culminating in Finland’s Official Tasting: an intimate dining experience inspired by the people, ingredients and stories of the surrounding area.
To uncover what Finland truly tastes like, Visit Finland asked people from across the country – from locals and fishermen to farmers and home cooks – to share the dishes, flavours and ingredients that best represent their region. Those insights were then brought to life by some of Finland’s leading chefs, who transformed them into Finland’s official tasting menus.
In the Coast & Archipelago, the experience has been curated by Erik Mansikka, one of Finland’s most respected culinary figures and founder of Michelin-starred Restaurant Kaskis in Turku. Here, guests will discover the world’s largest archipelago, where cuisine is shaped by the sea, seasonal produce and longstanding coastal traditions.
In Lapland, the tasting has been shaped by Joel Manninen, one of Finland’s rising culinary stars, whose contemporary Arctic cuisine draws inspiration from northern ingredients, modern techniques and the dramatic landscapes of Finland’s far north. Travellers will experience Lapland in autumn, with an itinerary inspired by Arctic food culture and the atmosphere of Europe’s last great wilderness.
”Finland is a chance to discover one of the world’s lesser-known culinary cultures. Italian, Chinese and even other Nordic cuisines are already firmly part of the global conversation while Finnish food remains relatively undiscovered internationally,” said Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Business Finland. “In an era where foodies are constantly searching for the next big thing, Finland offers exactly that. Pure ingredients from local nature, like wild game and fresh fish, alongside simple, unpretentious recipes rooted in tradition. Our food is a direct expression of the lifestyle that has helped make Finns the happiest people in the world: deep connection to nature, simplicity and a strong sense of where ingredients come from. From sauna food rituals to foraging, Finnish cuisine tells a story that exists nowhere else, and we want visitors to have some Finnish and experience that story in full.”
Finland’s invitation goes beyond food. Each selected participant will receive an all-expenses-paid, four-day itinerary through their chosen region, featuring curated activities, immersive cultural experiences and dining throughout the stay, before culminating in Finland’s Official Tasting. Designed to engage all the senses, the experiences aim to connect visitors not only with Finnish cuisine, but with the nature, people and traditions behind it.
