Finland invites singles to free gastronomic trip

The Finnish tourism agency, Visit Finland, is inviting 16 singles from around the world to participate in a free four-day gastronomic trip scheduled for February next year. The project, titled “Finnish Dinner Date,” is part of the “Have Some Finnish” campaign aimed at promoting the nation's culinary culture internationally.

Participants will receive a fully funded trip, including accommodation, activities, and meals. The group will be split between Helsinki and Tampere between February 9 and 19. Renowned Finnish chefs, including Adele Kinnunen of Café Savoy and Henry Tikkanen of Gösta, will prepare the menus.

The initiative was inspired by the popularity of “sinkkukori,” pink baskets used in Finnish stores to signal that individuals are open to meeting new people. According to Business Finland, the primary goal of the project is to encourage people to experience Finnish culture through food and meet new people, rather than specifically seeking romantic partners.