This Finnish restaurant is setting the standard for restaurants worldwide.
From the moment you step into Nolla, you’ll be amazed at every turn. Opening in Helsinki in 2019 by chef trio Carlos Henriques, Albert Franch Sunyer, and Luka Balac, Nolla is the first restaurant in the Nordic countries to be 100% zero-waste. With a philosophy of “Refuse, reduce, reuse, and only as a last resource, recycle,” it is truly a remarkable operation.
While communities offer their varied definitions of what it means to be zero-waste, the Zero Waste International Alliance defines it as: “The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”
Nolla has taken on this definition, making it a source of inspiration for other chefs and restaurants and stretching it across all aspects of its operations and culinary delights.
Setting a Zero-Waste Precedent for Restaurants
I initially believed zero-waste was simply the practice of using every part of an animal in food preparations while reducing the amount of plastic used, but Nolla goes far beyond that. The restaurant uses recycled bed sheets for the staff aprons. The empty wine bottles get cut down into drinking glasses. The napkins are made from recycled plastic bottles. Even the table and chairs are recycled and repurposed. The entire restaurant does not accept single-use packing from any of its suppliers. Instead, they use the same boxes and containers to carry items back and forth.
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For the menu, every ingredient gets used in several capacities or is composted. Compost is then turned into fertilizer in only 24 hours and shared with local farmers. The on-site microbrewery uses food waste to make craft beer. You won’t even find a trash can inside Nolla. Even in their bathroom, the hand towels are reusable. Even the restaurant gift cards are made from compostable paper that can be replanted to grow poppy flowers.
Nolla even reduces its footprint in energy consumption by having large glass windows to let in natural sunlight. When it comes to its commitment to zero-waste and sustainability, it seems Nolla has left no stone unturned. Even the restaurant’s name, Nolla, translates to zero in Finnish. It’s a fitting name for a restaurant dedicated to embracing this concept in every aspect.
INSIDER TIPI suggest getting the chef’s tasting menu. At just $54, it’s one of the most affordable tasting menus you’ll find.
From its sustainability practices to the menu, the chef trio behind Nolla is undoubtedly championing a much-needed change in the restaurant industry. The menu focuses on seasonality and partners with local suppliers, fishermen, and farmers in order to craft unique menu items that utilize as much of the product as possible–it changes with the season and the availability of products from their suppliers. Each course is its own unique blend of culinary infusions and delightful flavor profiles.
Nolla is one of the most popular restaurants in town, filling up quickly, so booking a reservation is a must. As Nolla sets out to redefine sustainable dining, we can only hope their impact will extend beyond Finland and influence the rest of the culinary industry.