It was a hit on social media: Finnish Dinner Date. I didn’t hesitate to send in my form, but I made a mistake, because you also had to submit a video. Applications closed on 10 November and the results will be announced on 8 December. What a shame! I would have been so happy enjoying that country where I wouldn’t understand a thing, a bit like going back in time more than 19 years, to when I first arrived in the Netherlands. I think they really are happy, but with a promotion like this, you do wonder whether there’s some important issue that needs resolving. Nothing of the sort: it’s simply a promotion of culinary tourism. But then what do the pink supermarket baskets have to do with it? Since it’s a phenomenon in Finland, they simply expanded on it. It was about mixing the supermarket with dating, and now they’re mixing dating with gastronomy. That really was a brainstorm.
Could it be done in the Netherlands? If this idea came out of a viral phenomenon, there’s nothing like it here yet; all that’s been talked about is raves and dating, a phenomenon seen in Spain. Restaurant prices here are quite high, and group dinners with strangers aren’t a trend yet. Although I once went to a dinner at 7 pm, which was a vegetarian food event. Even in that scene, there are vegan alternatives to meat that have interested me, but honestly they aren’t tasty enough to replace the real thing.
It made me laugh: in the promotional video, the Finns are so happy, with a glass of white wine in hand. People made memes of the Finland’s Ambassador to Australia Arto Haapea, when he said: you’ve tried Tinder and Bumble, why not try Helsinki. The music is either good or makes no sense, I just think it was sensational. He says at the end: take the risk, fall in love with a Finn! I really believe he is convince that this is the solution.
I genuinely got brainwashed by this campaign and sincerely want to meet a Finn and take the risk. Please send me an email if you are a Finn in the Netherlands, or from Finland itself: paula@flyingwinewriter.com
