Earlier this year, the Finnish culinary team won gold for the first time at the IKA Culinary Olympics 2024, known as the world's oldest, most prestigious and most demanding chefs' competitions.

Commenting on the new Menu Nordic created for Tallink Silja Line vessels, the team leader of the Culinary Team of Finland, Katja Tuomainen commented:

"The five-course tasting menu, exclusively created for Tallink Grupp's vessels, is based on our gold-winning menu, featuring the top elements of our competition menu at the culinary olympics. The starting point for the menu is the story about being Finnish and our native Finland. Like in the gold-winning menu, the flavours of this exquisite tasting menu are pumpkin, pikeperch, reindeer and apple. The base concept for the menu is sustainable development from start to finish; the producers have been carefully selected, highlighting local food and striving to reduce waste. Every serving is an homage to our environment".

Authors of the new Menu Nordic "Olympic-level Cuisine," members of the Culinary Team of Finland Tiina Norkio and team captain Kari Julin said:

"Both the competition menu and the tasting menu "Menu Nordic" are focused on the local Finnish ingredients at their finest and their diverse use. A good example of this is the use of pikeperch - the scales and skin of the fish have also been used, and the fishbones are also used to make the broth. We worked on the Olympics competition menu for two years, and it is great to offer it, in a slightly modified way, also to Tallink Silja Line vessels' restaurant guests."

Joonas Maunula, Creative Head Chef for Tallink Silja Line fleet, commented:

"It's great to have Culinary Olympic gold medal-winning menu available on our ships. Nordic flavours are very much liked by both our domestic and international travellers. Pikeperch and reindeer are ever-favourites among our passengers. The menu also highlights wonderfully the flavours of pumpkin, cauliflower, carrots, celery and apples in various forms. For example, the white mold cheese Väinö which comes from the Finnish gourmet dairy Herkkujuustola, is simply perfect to be enjoyed before the dessert. The tasting menu, albeit born from a high-end competition menu, is very approachable, and I believe that our passengers will love it immensely."

Menu Nordic

• Pumpkin and tomato (V)
Pickled pumpkin and pumpkin purée, marinated cherry tomato, mustard seeds, aromatic tomato broth and chilli oil

• Pikeperch and Peas
Poached pikeperch seasoned with dill and lemon, ramsons emulsion, pea mousse and salad with kohlrabi and peas
or
Cauliflower and Peas (V)
Cauliflower flan and cauliflower crumble, ramsons emulsion, salad with kohlrabi, peas and seaweed caviar

• Reindeer and celeriac
Fried reindeer fillet with fermented black pepper, red wine sauce, sauteed mushrooms and onions, celeriac puree and poached carrot with carrot beurre monte
or
Broad Beans and Celeriac (V)
Nordic falafel, stew with onions and celeriac, celeriac puree, sauteed mushrooms and onion, poached carrot with carrot beurre monte and herb oil

• Cheese
Finnish Craft Cheese*, compote with red currants and yuzu, sesame-quinoa cracker, spruce sprout marmalade
*Vegan version menu contains vegan option

• Apple and almond (V)
Apple mousse, compote with apple and apricot, bitter almond cream*, apple sorbet and almond cake
*Vegan version without bitter almond crème

The five-course tasting menu "Menu Nordic" is available onboard the company's cruise vessels' fine dining restaurants Bon Vivant and The Chef's Kitchen. The set menu is priced at EUR 92, the vegan version of the Menu Nordic is priced at EUR 85 and the sommelier's recommended wine selection to complement the menu is priced at EUR 47. Club One loyal customers receive a 10% discount on the menu.

© Shippax