Ideas / Offsites & incentives / Lapland
The chef arrives by snowmobile
Dinner in the middle of nowhere. No restaurant in sight, until headlights appear between the trees and the chef pulls up with the menu on a sled.
How it runs
- 18:00Transfer out of town, then the last stretch on foot or by sleigh along a torch-lit path.
- 18:30The fire is already going. Warm drinks, reindeer skins on the benches, and nobody quite sure what happens next.
- 19:00Engine noise, lights in the trees. The chef arrives.
- 19:30Four courses cooked over open fire, built on Lapland produce.
- 21:30The aurora alert is on. If the sky cooperates, dessert waits.
- 22:30Back to the hotel, smelling of woodsmoke.
What to know
- Lapland nights can hit −30°C. A heated kota or tent stands by at the clearing, so dinner goes ahead whatever the weather.
- Outdoor gear is provided for every guest. Dress code: whatever fits under an overall.
- Dietary needs are handled before anyone leaves the hotel, not at the fire.
- Groups over 60 split across two fires, with the chef moving between them.
- December books up a year ahead. January to March is easier and quieter.
Good for
Incentive trips, a gala dinner replacement, the evening a sales kick-off is remembered for.
Not for
Anyone expecting tablecloths, speeches from a lectern, or a short walk to the bar.
Questions planners ask
What happens if it's too cold for an outdoor dinner in Lapland?
Lapland nights can drop to −30°C. A heated kota or tent stands by at the clearing, so the dinner goes ahead in any weather. Guests get full outdoor gear before leaving the hotel.
Will we see the northern lights?
Nobody can promise that, and anyone who does is guessing. The aurora season runs from September to March and needs a clear, dark sky. The evening is planned to give it the best chance: away from town lights, with an alert running and time built in to wait.
Can you handle dietary requirements in the wilderness?
Yes. Requirements are collected before the trip and every course is planned around them in advance, not improvised at the fire.
How much does a wilderness dinner in Lapland cost?
Typically €250–450 per guest for the evening, including transfers, outdoor gear, the chef and drinks, excluding VAT, flights and accommodation. The menu and how far into the wilderness you go move the price most.
How far ahead should we book a December trip to Lapland?
About a year. December is Lapland's busiest month and group capacity sells out early. January to March needs six to nine months.
Thinking of doing this?
Borrow the idea, it's yours. If you'd like a hand, or just a second opinion on whether it suits your group, write to me. I produce ideas like this one at Sorry, No Polar Bears, a Helsinki studio I co-run.
Also strangely doable
