Dear readers,

On behalf of the Nordic chefs and embassies, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all participants of the Culinary Federation’s annual conference. You took us in with open hearts, and we received a very warm welcome. 

Like with any cultural exchange, we were able to learn from each other’s best practices. We learned that in Canada, food is made with love and big hearts. Many chefs were in the business with their family members and the knowledge was shared and passed on to younger members with careful detail and pride. Young chefs were attentive, enthusiastic, and curious. We found Canadian cuisine to be a wonderful mix of cultures and traditions from all over the world, infused with local ingredients. 

We hope that we, especially our five talented chefs – Kamilla Seidler from Denmark, Pipsa Hurmerinta from Finland, Hinrik Örn Lárusson from Iceland, Runa Kvendseth from Norway, and Emma Wixner from Sweden – were able to inspire some of you with our Nordic values, many of which are Canada’s values as well. The use of local, indigenous and natural ingredients, sustainably sourced fish, seafood and plant-based products, as well as the wellbeing of employees, were common interests. 

As the world and the economy are facing large and complex problems such as climate change, high inflation, energy and housing crisis, natural disasters, and uncertainty over security, it is more important than ever to stay united. Moreover, what is a better reason to get together than a shared meal? 

Food unites all living creatures on this Earth. We humans have developed it into a true form of art and artisanship. It is our responsibility to ensure that we can continue feeding our growing population in a sustainable way. As we learned on our tour at the Summit Station Dairy, we already know that local is often the best way. Plant-based and vegetarian options might be unfamiliar, especially to our older customers, but once they get to taste these options, they are often positively surprised. 

Again, I would like to thank you all for inviting us to your annual conference. We hope to continue our cooperation one way or another and encourage you to contact us at the Nordic embassies if you ever have any questions that we can help with, such as finding connections in our countries, cultural exchange, information about New Nordic Cuisine, or any other topics you might be interested in. In Finland, we often say let’s meet at the (hockey) rink, but this time we will say let’s meet again in the kitchen!

Laura Kehusmaa
Embassy of Finland to Canada