Food Region Now! – 11,000 years of South Karelian gastronomy in continuous table setting
Food Province Now! – project aims to raise South Karelia as an interesting food tourism destination by utilizing historical information from the province’s food traditions from the Stone Age to the present day. The setting of the goal is related to the pending application for the title of European Region of Gastronomy (ERG) in 2024, in which South Karelia is involved together with South Savo and North Karelia. South Karelia still has a lot of development needs in the supply and presentation of its distinctive food culture, so that the province can be at the level of the goals of the ERG title. The tourism, event and restaurant industries, which were mistreated by the Covid 19 pandemic, also need new competitive factors in South Karelia, as well as up-to-date know-how and new ways of coping with the crisis. A sustainably produced, high-quality and distinctive food supply is one important way to differentiate yourself from your competitors and attract new customer groups to the province.
A new extensive history of South Karelia was published in two parts 2018-2019 and its contents deserve a wider audience. The books also contain a lot of information about the food history of the area and related stories that can be used to enliven the food supply of the companies in the province. In addition, the old food traditions have features that can be used to promote sustainable food production and support the province’s low-carbon goals.
Objectives
The project aims to raise South Karelia as an interesting food tourism destination by utilizing historical information from the province’s food traditions from the Stone Age to the present day.
This goal is pursued through six work packages. Work Package 1 is a “HUB or Joint Workspace” in which provincial food companies and development organizations produce new product ideas for the further development of the companies themselves. Work package 2 examines the province’s “Food History from the Stone Age to the present day” on the basis of South Karelian history books, and transfers real-time information to the project’s HUB activities and events. Work package 3 “From traditional food to trendy delicacies, from the field to products and on offer” operates in experimental kitchen facilities and in historical and other related environments. The companies in the area will be involved in the work throughout the process, so that the recipes and products will serve these actors even after the project. Work package 3 also aims at wider utilization and availability of the province’s own raw material production. Work Package 4 produces “Food Information and Information Sessions for Digital and Smooth Platforms” for use by companies and also customers. Work Package 5 “Province Full of Food Events” maps out the existing food events in the province and produces an annual clock from them, and pilots a new provincial food event. Work Package 6 consists of project coordination. The project is being implemented by the Humak University of Applied Sciences, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Lappeenranta Museums and Cultural Centre Nuijamies.
As a result of the development work, new product ideas are created, as well as events in which new information about food history is applied in a modern and sustainable way.
The results of the development work are documented and will be available to companies on their own product development on digital platforms after the project. The participating companies become active in highlighting the local and regional food tradition in their own products and develop new competitive service and event products for the market. The innovations and operating models produced in the project will also be shared for use by other Saimaa European Region of Gastronomy regions.
| Duration (päivämäärinä): | 01.09.2022 – 30.11.2023 |
| Project manager: | Juha Iso-Aho |
| Email: | juha.iso-aho@humak.fi |
| Partners: | Lappeenrannan museot, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Kulttuuritila Nuijamies, |
| Funder: | EU: EAKR -rahoitus |
| Budget: | >50 000 – 100 000 euroa |
| Website: | Linkki |
