The City of Helsinki will host the MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony in May during which the latest Nordic restaurants that will be granted MICHELIN Stars will be revealed. Top Nordic players in the field will gather in Finland’s capital for the event, which is recognised as one of the world’s most famous food industry occurrences. Organized for the second time in a row in Finland, the event shines a spotlight on Helsinki’s and the rest of the country’s high-quality and versatile culinary scene.
The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries Ceremony will be held on 27 May 2024 at Helsinki’s Savoy Theatre and the Helsinki City Hall. The MICHELIN Stars awarded at the Ceremony are the most coveted and respected recognition of excellence in the restaurant industry. The MICHELIN Green Star, indicating role model restaurants committed to a more sustainable gastronomy, and other special awards will also be presented at the reveal.
“We are delighted to set for the very first time our annual Nordic Ceremony in the magnificent City of Helsinki. As the national culinary flagship of Finland, Helsinki will be an ideal location to bring together the crème de la crème of Nordic gastronomy. Together with the City of Helsinki, as well as the support of Business Finland/ Visit Finland, we will organize a Ceremony worthy of the talent of the chefs and the excellence of the restaurants that our inspectors have independently chosen to honor”, said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides.
The event is an excellent opportunity for Helsinki to showcase its own food culture and its many different facets. Co-organised by the city together with the MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries and Visit Finland, the Ceremony will attract hundreds of restaurant industry professionals and international media representatives to Helsinki.
“We are thrilled the MICHELIN Guide has chosen to organise one of the world’s most famous restaurant events in our city this year. It is an esteemed acknowledgement of Helsinki’s versatile food culture, which includes everything from high-quality fine dining and food industry innovations to berries and seafood from our local natural environment. We hope that as many residents of the city as possible will also have the opportunity enjoy the event’s atmosphere and flavours,” states Mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen.
Food is naturally an important tourist attraction factor for the whole of Finland, not just its capital
“Food is an essential part of every trip. For years now, its importance has increased while choosing a travel destination, as travellers seek out unforgettable culinary experiences with a distinct local flavour. There are great food tourism destinations in Finland, but the high quality of Finnish food and the one-of-a-kind gastronomic culture we have here are not yet very well known on the world stage. The MICHELIN Guide Ceremony in Helsinki will provide excellent support for our efforts to strengthen Finland’s reputation as an attractive food tourism destination,” said Kristiina Hietasaari, Senior Director of Visit Finland.
Nordic MICHELIN cooperation is a highlight of Helsinki’s special food year
The MICHELIN unveiling ceremony offers Helsinki a unique opportunity to bring various food and drink-related events and experiences together. It is also guaranteed to be a highlight of Helsinki’s event-filled summer and a special food-themed year. The city invites operators, entrepreneurs and associations in the restaurant, food and event industry to join in the planning and preparations of joint activities for city residents and tourists to enjoy.
“The unveiling of the new Nordic restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide is a great opportunity for local food industry representatives to showcase their expertise and specialties. Versatility, personality and uniqueness are Helsinki’s strengths when it comes to our food culture. We have the courage to combine new and old, eastern, western and northern, and come up with something completely off-the-beaten-path. Food is a key contributor to Helsinki’s overall vitality and appeal, and it is one of our main priority areas for the coming year,” concludes Marja-Leena Rinkineva, Economic Development Director for the City of Helsinki.
The MICHELIN Guide Nordic Countries publication highlights exceptional food in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. The 2023 edition of the Nordic Guide contained a total of 271 restaurants, 81 of which were rated with One, Two or Three MICHELIN Stars.
Five of Finland’s MICHELIN-Starred restaurants are located in the capital of Helsinki, with one more in the southwest coastal city of Turku and another in the southern city of Porvoo. In addition, MICHELIN Guide awards MICHELIN Green Stars to restaurants that offer first- class environmentally friendly and sustainable dining experiences. Three restaurants in Helsinki currently hold the MICHELIN Green Star.