Finland Opens Applications for Singles to Join Romantic Tasting Dinners in Helsinki and Tampere
Finland has announced an unusual destination dining experience that pairs international singles with local participants for candlelit tasting menus drawn from the country’s official national cuisine. The program, called Finnish Dinner Date, positions the meals as opportunities to connect through food and personal encounters inside the world’s happiest country. Two separate group dinners will be held next winter, one in the capital region and one in the Lakeland city of Tampere. Organizers describe the format as a relaxed blind-date setting where every guest samples the same curated menu while seated among fellow food enthusiasts. The initiative builds directly on earlier official tasting trips that Finland introduced in 2026 to present its seasonal ingredients and regional traditions to travelers.
The 2027 events are scheduled between February 9 and 19. Eight participants will be selected for each dinner, producing a total of sixteen spots. One dinner takes place in Helsinki and the other in Tampere; winners learn their exact destination only after confirmation. Both meals follow the structure of Finland’s official tasting menus and are presented as group occasions rather than individual dates. The Helsinki menu is prepared by Chef Adele Kinnunen of Café Savoy, while the Tampere menu comes from Chef Henry Tikkanen of Gösta. Selected guests travel, taste and socialize across the chosen region during the winter period.
Anyone may apply through FinnishDinnerDate.com. The single required question asks applicants to describe what they would serve on a dinner date and why. To complete the process, participants first create a short English-language video answering that question, then post it publicly on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging the official Visit Finland accounts. They must also submit the application form on the dedicated site and include a link to their video. Those who prefer not to post publicly may upload the video to YouTube as unlisted and paste the link into the form. All entries must arrive by Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. Finnish time.
The concept draws inspiration from Finland’s recent “Sinkkukori” trend, in which pink grocery baskets signal that a shopper is open to meeting others. Organizers have added a romantic element to the existing Official Tasting dinners that were first offered in early 2026. Those earlier trips already featured a signature tasting dinner as the centerpiece of a four-day regional itinerary combining food, landscape and local stories. The new singles format extends the same multisensory approach while introducing the possibility of personal connections during the meal.
Heli Jimenez, Senior Director of International Marketing at Business Finland, explained the thinking behind the program: “Finnish food is a direct expression of our famously happy way of life: a way of connecting to place, to season, and to the people around you. Food brings Finns together, and now we are inviting travelers to join us in a truly one-of-a-kind way.”
The Helsinki tasting menu will be created by Chef Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, whose career includes high-end kitchens and an appearance on Finland’s Masterchef Professionals. The Lakeland menu in Tampere will be prepared by Chef Henry Tikkanen of Gösta, who has represented Finland at the Bocuse d’Or competition and was named Finnish Chef of the Year in 2001. Both chefs are responsible for translating official national tasting menus into the actual dishes served at the dinners.
Finland positions its cuisine as one of Europe’s last undiscovered gastronomic destinations. While Italian, Chinese and other Nordic traditions are widely recognized, Finnish food has remained less known internationally. The cuisine draws on pristine nature and seasonal cycles, relying on wild fish, game, berries, mushrooms and locally sourced ingredients. It emphasizes simplicity, purity and authenticity, remaining closely tied to the landscapes that produce its raw materials. Distinct practices such as sauna cooking and foraging give the cuisine a narrative that organizers say cannot be found elsewhere.
Jimenez added a second comment on the broader appeal: “From sauna food traditions to foraging, Finnish cuisine tells a story that exists nowhere else. We want visitors to experience that story in full. Coming to the world’s happiest country, they may find love – with each other, with Finnish food or with their new favorite travel destination.”
The sixteen selected participants will be announced publicly on December 1 through Visit Finland’s official Instagram and TikTok channels.
Visit Finland, a unit of Business Finland, serves as the national tourism authority responsible for promoting international travel to the country. Its work includes research, image development and support for the travel industry in creating products suited to global markets. The Finnish Dinner Date program is presented as part of that ongoing effort to introduce Finland’s food culture and regional experiences to new audiences.
