Street Food Fair of the Century in Helsinki

Helsinki's new street food feast is served 21–22 March 2014. The most visible part of the set of events is Streat Helsinki EATS, taking over the Tori Quarters in the centre of Helsinki. Food trucks, vans and carts and stands are open from 11am to 7 pm on Saturday 22 March 2014.

"The old cobblestoned streets will be trembling and the electricity outlets vibrating when the trucks start rolling in. The magnificent food carnival includes flipping burgers outside the City Hall, and enjoying sandwiches by the Havis Amanda Fountain", Peggy Bauer, Operative Director of the Tori Quarters, exclaims.

The organisers for Streat Helsinki are City of Helsinki's Food Culture Strategy, Tori Quarters (Streat Helsinki EATS), the Abattoir (Streat Helsinki PARTIES) and Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre (Streat Helsinki TALKS).

Thirty Street Kitchens Lead the Way for New Food Cities

The Streat Helsinki EATS festival brings together street food pioneers to a compact area to cook up tasty treats on-spot for an eager audience. The festival area is open for all and free of charge. The day is expected to draw 10 000 visitors. Participants were found through an open call. The majority of vendors has now been announced, but some potential additions and surprises remain to be revealed.

Overseas visitors from Stockholm include Curbside Sthlm, Fred's Food Truck, Bon Coin Food Truck and Boardwalk Street Food. Tallinn's addition is restaurant Salt's street food team. Treats from these Baltic Sea neighbours range from pulled pork to quesadillas, and chipotle to French kitchen. Chef Petteri Luoto makes a come back from New York to Helsinki with his signature Japanese coal BBQ, and a set of spices from Shanghai to Nashville. One of the Streat Helsinki TALKS speakers, street food pioneer Luca Castiglione from Cape Town will also be cooking at the festival.

Finnish street food heroes include the Mexican style Cholo, ambassadors of British street food Fisu & Ranet, Soul Mama's Kitchen led by Ninja Sarasalo, and experimental street food pioneer EWÄS. BBQ on Wheels will also be rolling into the venue, as will vegetarian delight SoiSoi. Saku Salo has promised to drive his yellow school bus 300 km all the way from Seinäjoki, and Tarmo Wasenius brings delicacies from Joensuu on the eastern border.

Some of the Tori Quarters restaurants will also try their skills in street food. The brewery-restaurant Bryggeri Helsinki's courtyard will play host to a cozy festival centre, where visitors can also quench their thirst.

"We invite everyone to experience what street food is all about in 2014. We also want to help the cities and the citizens to see what street food is at its best, and how to make the best decisions to support this scene", Peggy Bauer lists.

The list of Streat Helsinki EATS vendors is updated at: www.streathelsinki.com 

TALKS and PARTIES to Warm up the Mood on Friday 21 March

The likes of the Streat Helsinki TALKS street food conference have yet to be witnessed in the northern hemisphere. Organised jointly with the Gastro 2014 fair on Friday 21 March, the conference will bring together hundreds of street food ambassadors, doers and supporters. The pre-registration is now open at www.streathelsinki.com. While free of charge, there is a limited capacity.

The street food revolution's night shift - Streat Helsinki PARTIES - takes place on Friday 21 March at 7pm - 2am at the Abattoir's Kellohalli restaurant. The entrance includes the evening programme and the street food menu designed by chefs Sasu Laukkonen and Richard McCormick. Tickets (including handling fees) from 38 € at Tiketti (www.tiketti.fi ).

The main force behind Streat Helsinki is the City of Helsinki's Food Culture Strategy team, joined by several local and international partners. The event production by the Abattoir, Tori Quarters and the Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre is additionally supported by ministries and small businesses alike. In practice, the events are a collaboration between a big group of communities, food activists, professionals, amateurs, entrepreneurs, and other hungry street foodies.

Additional information:

– streathelsinki.com
– facebook.com/streathelsinki.com
- Streat Helsinki EATS: producer Anna Pakarinen, anna.pakarinen@torikorttelit.fi, +358 50 588 2561
– Streat Helsinki in general: Project manager Nina Ruotsalainen, nina@streathelsinki.com, +358 40 765 9387
 – Press images and Streat Helsinki logo: streathelsinki.com/press/

INTERNATIONAL STREET KITCHENS

Bon Coin, Stockholm French street food: crêpes & galettes www.boncoin.se
Fred’s Food Truck, Stockholm Pulled Pork, Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, Quesadillas etc. www.fredsfoodtruck.se
Curbside Sthlm, Stockholm American fast food classics with premium ingredients: Pulled pork, Chipotle, Cheeseburgers curbside.se
Boardwalk Streetfood, Stockholm Chili, pork, fish & vegetables straight from the streets of Stockholm www.facebook.com/boardwalkstreetfoodstockholm
Salt, Tallinn www.saltrestoran.ee
Limoncello Cape Town Food Truck One of the Streat Helsinki TALKS speakers, Luca Castiglione will also cook in Helsinki www.capetownfoodtrucks.co.za

FINNISH STREET KITCHENS

B-Smokery Slowly cooked, tradional BBQ from Helsinki www.bsmokery.fi
BBQ BUS Mobile kitchen made out of Bart & Lisa Simpson's old school bus drives 300 km to Helsinki and serves BBQ dishes
Street Gastro Premium Sandwiches from Helsinki www.streetgastro.fi EWÄS www.ewas.fi
Social Food Street Mika Tuomonen is Finland's Master Chef 2012 and Social Food Street is his love child www.socialfood.fi
Cholo Mexican street food www.patrona.fi Fafa’s The best falafel in Finland www.fafas.fi
Tortilla House Taco Truck serving burritos, tacos and fajitas www.tortillahouse.fi
Körpäkkä Tarmo Wasenius brings his kitchen from the eastern border of Finland and presents such dishes as saslikki and körpäkkä
Texas BBQ The name says it all: Texas BBQ with slow food mentality www.texasbbq.fi
BBQ on Wheels Gourmet burgers from a truck www.facebook.com/BBQonwheels
Freese Coffee Co Coffee, coffee, coffee www.freesecoffee.fi
Fisu&Ranet Tradional style fish & chips https://www.facebook.com/fisujaranet
Soul mama’s kitchen Vegetable dishes combining the best Maroccan flavours with western favourites https://www.facebook.com/pages/Soul-Mamas-Kitchen/138388772960616
Liesikiesi www.liesikiesi.fi
Richard McCormick Richard is one of the central persons in the Helsinki food scene and has developed some great concepts for the food lovers – what next? newyorkninja.fi
Skibibi Bros & co SoiSoi Kasvisgrilli Vegetable and vegan food from the grill www.soisoi.fi
Flying Dutchman Stroopwaffles from Holland www.twline.fi
Twisted Street Kitchen Street kitchen with Asian influences, and with a twist www.twistedhelsinki.fi
Maulito Genuine and honest street food from Germany www.maulito.com

TORI QUARTERS RESTAURANTS ON THE STREET

Pure Bistro www.purebistro.fi
Savotta www.asrestaurants.com/FI/ravintolat/savotta
Bryggeri Helsinki www.bryggeri.fi
Ravintola Sunn www.restaurantsunn.fi