Culinary traditions are showcased extensively throughout the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme. September sees the return of the Arctic Tasting event. Restaurants and cafés are now invited to sign up for the popular event.
In Arctic Tasting, restaurants and cafés compete to create the most delicious tasting dish, and registration is now open. Food trucks, stalls and similar vendors are also welcome. Arctic Tasting takes place in Oulu from Wednesday to Saturday, 23–26 September. The portions are priced at €5 and €7.
In Arctic Tasting, customers are asked to score the dishes they have tasted. This time the most delicious dishes will be awarded in three different categories instead of just one as before. The categories are savoury dishes, sweet dishes and drinks. Customers who leave a rating will be entered into a prize draw for products and gift vouchers.
The event aims to showcase local ingredients from the Oulu2026 region and to make it easier for customers to try out new restaurants. The recommendation is to primarily use products from Arctic Food Lab network producers or other ingredients from the Oulu2026 region in the dishes.
“Good-natured rivalry and excitement”
Arctic Tasting is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Last year, 16 restaurants and cafés participated, serving a total of 3,327 portions. First-time competitors J&S Burger claimed victory with The Miniburger. Entrepreneurs Sanna and Juha Savolainen say Arctic Tasting was a positive experience: the event brought new customers and great visibility to the restaurant, but above all there was a wonderful sense of friendly competition in the air. According to them, it was great to see how enthusiastically people set out to taste and compare dishes all around the city.
“The icing on the cake was, of course, the fact that we managed to win the race. We are taking part again this year and hope to see plenty of challengers competing for the best dish. The event is a brilliant opportunity to showcase your expertise and develop what you have to offer,” adds Sanna Savolainen.
The deadline for food operators to sign up is 22 July. Arctic Tasting is an initiative of the Oulu Culture Foundation, which oversees both Oulu2026 and Arctic Food Lab events.
