Helsinki debuts at Madrid Fusión by the hand of Michelin-starred chef Albert Franch and Sommelier Samuil Angelov
Helsinki shines as a key partner at Madrid Fusión, one of the world’s premier gastronomy event. While still a hidden gem on Europe’s culinary map, this Nordic capital has now stepped into the spotlight, redefining itself as a vibrant gastronomic destination and showcasing the flavors of the world’s happiest nation.
For the first time, Helsinki has had a strong presence across various areas of the Madrid Fusión congress, from the Main Auditorium to The Wine Edition. Chefs Albert Franch Sunyer, Carlos Henriques, and Luka Balac from the Michelin-starred restaurant Nolla, located in Helsinki and leading the sustainable movement, alongside renowned master sommelier Samuil Angelov, have taken the stage to highlight the Helsinki region and its distinctive ingredients, techniques, and cultural traditions that make it a unique culinary destination.
On Monday, Samuil Angelov, Finland’s foremost sommelier and CEO of Muru Dining in Helsinki, took the spotlight at The Wine Edition stage with a surprising and insightful session. Through a fascinating presentation of the burgeoning Finnish wine culture titled “Surprising Finnish Beverages and Pairings”, he delved into how the Northern Hemisphere’s climate influences ingredients in wine and beverages. To understand the present, one must first explore the past, and Angelov guided the audience through a fascinating yet concise history of Finland’s beverage scene. For such, Angelov presented a selection of berry wines from Finland as he outlined the burgeoning wine and food culture of his country.
He explained the production and process behind the wines, made with lingonberries, strawberries, cloudberries and blueberries, as he talked about the central part of nature and the outdoors for Finnish people. Their vineyard, he said, is the forest. “The forest is at the heart of everything in Finland. We hunt, we fish, we use it for food and drink and just for being in nature. It is absolutely central to us.”
Moreover, the chefs and founders of Nolla (1 Green Michelin Star) delivered two different talks, in the Dreams and Main Auditoriums, under the themes, “Innovation and Sustainability in gastronomy: towards a zero-waste kitchen” and “Beyond zero waste: cooking”, in which they explored the zero-waste policy at Nolla and how they bring this into the kitchen, showcasing their innovative approach to sustainable gastronomy and the values that define their Nordic kitchen. After exploring how their sustainable philosophy is applied to different areas of the restaurant – from furniture, to uniforms, ingredients, cleaning products, or complex composting techniques – chef Albert Franch explained where he sources raw materials from, and how important the choice of producers is. “If you don’t find a community around you that want to work with you in your way and understands your way of thinking, it is very difficult to succeed”
As a conclusion, he wanted to highlight that being zero-waste is not a concept but a model. “We are very radical at Nolla, we have put ourselves a lot of limits, but people need to understand that we are not a zero-waste restaurant, but a restaurant that works with Finnish ingredients using southern techniques in a creative environment, that generates zero-waste”.
To showcase their cuisine and the circular techniques developed in Nolla’s kitchen, Albert Franch and his team have prepared on stage a savoury dish with sturgeon pil-pil with celeriac and green cranberry, and an ice-cream desert with the bread from the previous day and Thic, a confection solution developed to mimic the taste and functionality of chocolate.
From Foraged Flavors to Michelin Stars: Helsinki’s Food Scene
Small in size but big in flavor, Helsinki is a hub of culinary creativity rooted in sustainability and rich heritage. The Finnish capital blends influences from centuries of Swedish and Russian rule with its natural surroundings—forests, lakes, and the Baltic Sea—creating a food culture that ranges from Michelin-starred dining to wild-foraged ingredients and the world’s first free school lunches. With a strong emphasis on local sourcing, seasonal produce, and zero-waste principles, Helsinki is at the forefront of sustainable gastronomy, exemplified by its Michelin Green Star restaurants Grön, Nolla, Natura and Nokka. Bridging innovation and tradition, Helsinki’s culinary scene showcases the city as a leader in conscious, climate-friendly dining.
Changing the Industry: Nolla’s Commitment to Zero Food Waste
Restaurant Nolla is the first zero-waste restaurant in the Nordics and one of the first in the world. «Nolla,» meaning zero in Finnish, reflects the restaurant’s zero-waste ideology. This holistic approach was born out of a desire to revolutionize the restaurant industry, and Nolla’s founders have embraced this movement by combining top-quality food with a waste-free ideology. All ingredients are local, seasonal, organic, and biodynamic, with at least 90% of the ingredients being organic. Since day one, no plastic has been used, and instead of rubbish bins, a composter is located in the dining room to give ingredients a second life. Nolla also uses a software system to measure waste, which helps improve waste management practices both within the restaurant and across the industry. «The idea for Nolla was born from a desire to spark a conversation about the changes we want to see in the restaurant industry. Sustainability is a value that has guided every decision from day one», says Albert Franch Sunyer, co-owner & co-founder of Restaurant Nolla.
Nolla’s creators—Serbian Luka Balac, Spaniard Albert Franch Sunyer, and Portuguese Carlos Henriques—are three immigrant chefs who came to Helsinki with little money and no knowledge of the language, but a strong vision to change the industry. Their cooking is highly personal, reflecting their diverse backgrounds, with a focus on seasonal, local Finnish ingredients. While they don’t serve traditional Spanish, Portuguese, Serbian, or Finnish food, they create a fixed 4 or 5-course menu using Southern European techniques and flavors. Nolla is committed to tackling the root of food waste by supporting a system that eliminates waste altogether. “We often encounter the misconception that we cook with food waste. That’s not how we work,” says Albert Franch Sunyer. “Rather than trying to patch the broken system of overproduction, we’re addressing the root of the problem. Instead of finding ways to use excess food, we believe in creating a system where no food waste is generated in the first place.”
Samuil Angelov: Finland’s Master Sommelier and Restaurateur
Samuil Angelov is one of Finland’s most internationally renowned sommeliers, and the most successful in international competitions. Angelov is also the restaurateur of renowned Helsinki restaurants Muru, Pastis, Villa Lilla and Muru’s Wine Bar. Angelov is involved in many things, so you can find him making wine, distilling or influencing national and international sommelier activities. Since 2017, Angelov has been a full member of the board of ASI, the International Sommelier Association, and a deputy treasurer. In a career spanning almost 30 years, he has worked in several prestigious restaurants and hotels, however for the last 14 years he has been running his own restaurants and wine importing company.
“Finnish gastronomy is its own kind of Nordic gastronomy. Our cuisine and dishes are based on pure flavours, careful preparation and authenticity, and this has been and remains the DNA of our gastronomy and service.” – ends Angelov.
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