Restaurant Day

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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Finland Series at FinnishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Finnish holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 24, Restaurant Day. In Finnish, it’s called Ravintolapäivä.

Restaurant Day is a food carnival, or ruokakarnevaali in Finnish, celebrated four times a year, originating in Finland and eventually spreading its way to the rest of the world. On this day, anyone can set up a restaurant, café, or bar for a day. In this lesson, we'll get to know about Restaurant Day in Finland!

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

Do you know how many restaurants were set up on the first Restaurant Day?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.

Restaurant Day began as an idea between friends who live in Helsinki, as they got frustrated with the complex bureaucracy, or byrokratia in Finnish, related to establishing a restaurant. On Restaurant Day, anyone can set up an informal restaurant anywhere they want to. The day encourages people to have fun and to do things together while trying out a variety of food and restaurant ideas.

Restaurant Day has been widely reported around the world and has subsequently become an international phenomenon. On this day, hundreds of restaurants are opened for the duration of the day in more than fifteen different countries. Receiving much recognition and many awards, Restaurant Day is actively involved in social media.

Restaurants are listed on Restaurant Day’s designated website, from which guests can search for points of interest on a map. The intention for the day is that no commercial products or services are able to be advertised in Restaurant Day restaurants, and products are expected to be home-made, or itsetehty in Finnish. No alcohol can be sold at Restaurant Day restaurants, as the sale of alcohol without permission is prohibited, or in Finnish kielletty.

Temporary restaurants have opened in the most quirky places, such as on piers, in cars, in offices, in parks, on boats, and on balconies. Some of the most special places, however, include hot air balloons, train depots, attics and airports.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

Do you know how many restaurants were set up on the first Restaurant Day?

The first Restaurant Day was held in 2011. The idea for Restaurant Day was circulating on social media at that time, and eventually nearly forty pop-up restaurants were erected in thirteen different locations in Finland. Nowadays, each year nearly 2000 restaurants are erected in different parts of the world.