Spring’s most inspiring professional event brings fresh energy to the summer season!
Taste & Inspirations brings together industry professionals and partners to draw inspiration from flavour experiences, meaningful encounters and concrete solutions for the upcoming summer.

At the event, you’ll discover the best ideas for summer – from morning café and day‑starter offerings to the most relaxed terrace dishes and full flavour experiences for restaurants. Each section includes new products, recipes and practical solutions that can be easily adapted to your café, restaurant, hotel or other venue.

Event: Taste & Inspirations, 16:00–19:00, Sibeliustalo

A quick diagnosis of the city’s food culture

The event opens with a quick diagnosis of the local food culture, where we analyse together with a local decision-maker and restaurateur how the region is performing: where it’s already leading the way, where development is ongoing and where it still lags behind the rest of Finland. This is your opportunity to hear the current state of play and to join a discussion that shapes the future of the industry. You’ll also hear insights from the Eating Out national food strategy work – how Finland’s shared strategy was created.

Quick diagnosis of Lahti’s food culture, 16:30–17:00, Discussion participants:

• Francis McCarron (National Coalition Party), Chair of the City Council
• Kati Onnela, Restaurant Roux
• Lauri Pöyhönen, Pelicans Restaurants & Events

New! FoodTalk – conversations at the dining table

Follow short live cooking demos and inspiring trend talks by registering and literally taking a seat at the dining table to hear – and taste – what summer is all about. Sessions run throughout the entire event, and open seats are filled at the start of each session, so you can also join on the go.

The Lahti FoodTalk schedule and registration will be published closer to the event.

FoodTalk themes include:

• 16:30 - 17:00 - Lahti’s food culture quick diagnosis
• 17:05 - 17:15 - Kespro – Orust heart mussels
• 17:20 - 17:30 - Atria – Ready‑to‑eat novelties: impressive dishes made easy and fast
• 17:35 - 17:45 - Fredman – Carita: Pure touch to food
• 17:50 - 18:00 - Fazer – New brioche: trend burger and Korean twist recipes
• 18:05 - 18:15 - Nature Line Cutlery – A reusable summer: durable take‑away solutions
• 18:20 - 18:30 - Seagood Fortdeli by Orkla Suomi – Taffel Loaded Chips
• 18:35 - 18:45 - Kespro – Charred trout & Sandefjord sauce

The event is intended for adults only, primarily for professionals in restaurants, cafés and accommodation businesses who make assortment and purchasing decisions. Places are limited.