Sourcing ingredients from trusted suppliers

Nokka serves thousands of customers a month, so the ingredients it uses have to meet the demand. Ari Ruoho must be flexible in terms of availability, so for example the mushrooms he uses may switch from boletes to chantarelles to black trumpets.

“We also conserve food in autumn. This practice is becoming more widespread among restaurants. For example, we pickle pumpkins for the winter and conserve around a hundred kilos of chantarelle mushrooms and green tomatoes.”

The green tomatoes are used to produce chutney and are themselves an example of the restaurant’s green thinking; they are leftovers from the greenhouse that did not ripen in time for the harvest.

One of Nokka’s strengths is its close relations with suppliers.

“We nurture long-term relationships for the benefit of both parties. Ultimately, it is the customer who benefits the most,” Ari adds.

Nokka also keeps honeycombs over the winter. Ari demands a lot from his regular suppliers, but he’s also ready to help them develop their product so that both parties benefit. For example, he convinced the local farmer to plant potato onions so that he could get them fresh.