New food and art experiences in the Event Kitchen!

A new experiential food and culture space in the center of Turku at Art House. The event trial will be held from April 7 to May 31, 2026, in the Hall of Words on the 5th floor of Factory. The event trial, organized in collaboration with the City of Turku, will bring food, food culture, and diverse cultural experiences to tourists and Turku residents. The kitchen, which consists of a mobile kitchen and professional kitchen equipment, can be adapted to a wide range of events and occasions that bring together food, culture, and local food operators under one roof.

The event kitchen is organized by Jouni Kuru, producer of the Food & Fun Festival. “The opportunity to organize an event kitchen is unique! We can bring a place to the center of Turku where people can cook their own food and enjoy experiences that combine gastronomy and art. For example, one upcoming experience is a local food course. We will go shopping with the group at Turku Market Hall and Market Square, and then walk to the Event Kitchen to prepare the best seasonal delicacies!”

Courses and events will be available for booking by the beginning of February. The framework and program are still being developed, and there is room for new ideas. Kuru invites all food and culture professionals to get in touch with their ideas for collaboration. “As examples of collaboration, we can already reveal the Atelier Dinner organized with artists from the Art House Turku, where our guests will be able to enjoy food and art experiences, the free Aurora concerts organized in collaboration with the Turku Music Festival, which will include food and drinks, a sushi course and pop-up dinner by Valtteri Willberg of Restaurant Karu, a cooking course by private chef Aram Behbodi, and a knife sharpening course and pop-up dinner by Michelin-starred chef Sasu Laukkonen. Visitors will also have the opportunity to make their own plate in the Clayroom ceramic workshop, which will be used for serving dinner, so visitors will be able to eat from the plate they have made themselves,” Kuru describes the upcoming event program.

“The event kitchen is one of the city’s year-round event concept trials, and its goal is to find new innovative events for every month of the year. The idea of the event kitchen not only combines the possibilities of new types of events, but also promotes the possibilities of different food services.” Päivi Pohjolainen, Development Manager for Major Events at the City of Turku, comments on the upcoming event trial.

“At the Art House Turku, we aim to bring together different cultural fields and audiences so that when people come here for example for a film screening, they also end up admiring an art exhibition. This delicious Event Kitchen fits perfectly into our concept, and the best part is that not only the Art House residents but also other city residents can participate in the pilot project,” says Anna-Maija Vaimala, Production and Communications Manager at Art House Turku.

The Event Kitchen website and reservations will open in February.
The Event Kitchen is being implemented in collaboration with the City of Turku as an event trial with the aim of promoting year-round event activities and bringing active events to the city.

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For more information:

Producer:
Jouni Kuru
jouni@foodandfunfestival.com
+358458628705

Päivi Pohjolainen / Turku city
paivi.pohjolainen@turku.fi
+358 50 559 0578

Art House Turku:
Anna-Maija Vaimala
anna-maija.vaimala@taiteentalo.fi
+358 44 353 3920