Framing the local food experience: a case study of a Finnish pop-up restaurant

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how Finnish customers at the pop-up restaurant event Trip to Province, which took place in South Ostrobothnia, Finland, make sense of the locality.

Design/methodology/approach

The data consist of 3 group interviews and 18 respondents, whose responses were analysed using a frame analysis.

Findings

Locality is discussed in the context of three frames: the immediate surroundings, the Finnish national ethos and the global discourses of food enthusiasts. The results show that, in terms of local food events, locality comprises not only food, but also place, people and cultural context conveying national and global elements.

Research limitations/implications

The data of this study are limited in size, and limited to the Finnish context.

Practical implications

Local food events could be promoted to locals and nearby residents, not just to tourists. With the design of the eating environment (music and visuals), the local food experience can be enhanced.

Social implications

Local food events strengthen the residents’ regional identity.

Originality/value

The research setting for this paper is original; the study takes part in the scarce discussion about gastronomic tourism in Finland. The study broadens the view that local food is just about food; regarding local food events, locality also entails place, people, nationality and globality.

Citation

Aaltojärvi, I., Kontukoski, M. and Hopia, A. (2018), "Framing the local food experience: a case study of a Finnish pop-up restaurant", British Food Journal, Vol. 120 No. 1, pp. 133-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2016-0613