Sustainability plays a substantial role in Scandinavia in all aspects of life and activities. Consistent with the sustainability concept of Scandinavian cuisine, Finland is steadily moving towards creating a healthy and sustainable food chain, from ingredients to sourcing and production. In 2014, the Food from Finland program was developed with the aim of creating a sustainable food industry and introducing Finnish food companies to international buyers, enhancing Finland’s image as a high-quality food producing country, and promoting the export of branded products and services overseas.
The Finnish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, H.E. Anu-Eerika Viljanen, has been asked many times what Finnish cuisine tastes like. This question inspired the Ambassador and the embassy team to organize a first-hand dinner experience, share the concept of sustainable cooking, and delight gourmets with the best of Finnish cuisine.
“For us, food is more than a source of nourishment, it is a language that speaks to our senses, feeds people and creates happiness. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why Finland has been nominated the happiest country in the world many times,” explained the Ambassador Viljanen in her opening speech. She further stated that traditionally, food in Finland means unification, it is the culture and identity of Finland. H.E. Viljanen concluded that food is sharing and caring for others, thus, inviting guests to join and enjoy the delightful evening.
During the enchantingly flavored evening, guests enjoyed delicacies prepared by guest chefs Mikko Marttinen and Joonas Kallio. Chefs shared some insights on what makes the Finish cuisine distinctive. “Restaurants and farmers work together for more sustainable solutions. For example, vegetables are delivered in reusable boxes to avoid the plastic trash. Sustainability is also considered in menu planning. I always consider when planning a new dish how to use the whole vegetable, fish, or meat the best way,” explained Mikko Marttinen.
Joonas Kallio further noted that Scandinavian cuisine is about respecting the ingredients’ own flavors without altering them too much. “Modest and honest cooking. The seasons play an important role because the growth period is short, so we have to make everything count. Much preserving is done in the spring, summer, and autumn to get through the long, dark winter.”
When asked about Saudi cuisine, the Michelin-starred restaurants’ chefs noted that Saudi cuisine has bold flavors compared to the simpler tastes of Scandinavia, and these flavors are a source of inspiration for them. The evening was a truly unique experience for the guests and chefs, who eagerly explored Saudi culinary traditions and are striving to put together a recipe combining the best dishes from the two countries.
Indeed, the H.E. Anu-Eerika Viljanen has found a truly creative way to answer the question asked by many and create bridges to intercultural initiatives through flavors and scents!
