Chef Jouni Toivanen from Finland X TEST KITCHEN
Dates: 4 – 8 April 2018
Location: TEST KITCHEN, 158A Connaught Road West, Shop 3, Sai Ying Pun
Tickets: $1,080 (8 course tasting menu)
$380 (wine pairing)
$100 (Corkage)
Innovative and ambitious, Finnish chef Jouni Toivanen brings an enviable resume as chef-owner of the Michelin-starred Luomo (*) in Helsinki as he takes the helm at the next Test Kitchen pop-up in Hong Kong. Remarkably, at Luomo he earned a hugely-coveted Michelin star only nine months after opening.
That wasn’t surprising to many as in his breath-taking plates, cooking tradition meets modernism as he uses contemporary techniques allied with classic tastes based on a total respect for his ingredients.
In his upcoming menu at TEST KITCHEN, every course and dish features at least one element he foraged from the gardens and hills of his native Finland. That, in turn, translates into dishes such as ”Skagen” And Rose, Forest Mushroom Flat Bread, or Pigeon 24h Chlorophyll.
Menu WILD
”Skagen” and rose
Forest Mushroom flat bread
Egg 64,7C and Finnish ”Dashi”
Porridge with Bee Larvae
Scallops, Chicken Skin and Jerusalem Artichoke
Iced Spruce
Pigeon 24h Chlorophyll
Cep and chocolate
Chef Toivanen has more than 20 years’ experience as a chef and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Helsinki and Barcelona, as well as across other cuisines.
“I pay respect to nature, modern cooking techniques, simplicity and pureness. ‘Surprising’ and ‘fun’ are my key words for cooking. I take influences from other kitchens from all over the world. For me it is very important that food of course tastes great, but it has to stay true to the main ingredient at same time.”
A 42-year old father of two sons from Helsinki, Finland, chef Jouni Toivanen is an innovative and ambitious chef for whom tradition meets modernism and where cooking techniques of today meet classic tastes and respect for ingredients.
His 23-year career as a chef has included many different restaurants, the highlight being his own restaurant Luomo which received a Michelin star JUST 9 months after opening. He has also worked in restaurants with Michelin stars in Helsinki and Barcelona, as well as Japanese restaurants, bistros and more.
Whilst working in different kinds of restaurants, he found his own way of cooking. It’s based mostly on wild ingredients with a modern approach, a style developed extensively in Nordic countries. Wild means that the ingredients are foraged, or hand-picked from nature. He also takes influences from other kitchens around the world. Ultimately, for chef Jouni it is very important that the food of course tastes great, but it also has to stay true to the main ingredient, especially as he likes to hero the very best of what is on offer locally.
Chef Jouni Toivanen (Finland)
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