23. 01. 12. - 13:30

Food and fun: Restaurant Day in Graz

The first Austrian "Restaurant Day" is coming to Graz at the start of February. Already a sensation in Finland, the concept encourages food lovers and budding cooks to create their own restaurant for one day only.

Anyone and everyone can take part in the event by opening a pop-up café, restaurant or bar and as the organisers say on their website, there is "No permission, no rules, just plain fun". The individual concept can be as quirky as you want and take place anywhere from a living room to a local park, in an office or on the beach.

"You decide on a name, what food or drink you will offer, where and when you will open your restaurant and whether you will make a small charge," explained organiser Monika Meuer.

The concept is simple and the foodie outlets can be too. The event which has taken place three times in Finland has seen the popping up of juice bars, late night raw food kiosks and a haute cuisine outlets selling intestines in a courtyard. Some 300 restaurants appeared on 19 November in Finland serving food to thousands of food lovers from around the country and the same success is hoped for in Graz.

German born founder Monika Meuer came up with the idea whilst living in Finland. "Originally the Restaurant Day was a protest. In Finland it is very difficult to get a licence for a restaurant and we wanted to fight back against this," explained Meurer. The motivation is now completely different however. "The day should be fun, a party and should bring people together," she explained.

The event will take place for just 24 hours in Graz on 4 February. Share your details and culinary plans on the website and wait for the hungry customers to come running.

For more information and to enrol visit:  http://www.ravintolapaiva.com/en/enrol/