Artist Kasmir launched a pop-up restaurant Pizza Lokal a few years back, and now its sister concept will be experienced exclusively in À la Park. The idea behind Pinsa Lokal was a shared and delightfully crazy dream of the world’s best pizzeria, and behind this are two friends, Kasmir and Chef of the Year 2024, who will give a magical fine-dining touch to the menu.

Kirjonen and Harrivaara first met at festivals in the start of the millenium.
”We connected through band stuff—and by band stuff, I mean early 2000s nu-metal bands where we were both vocalists," Kirjonen explains.

"After gigs, our friendship grew and was sealed over long discussions in the sauna, covering topics like passion for food and music," Harrivaara adds. He believes that their shared trust in intuition, open communication, and relaxed atmosphere will make cooking together truly special.

Both underline how food and music can be ways to express compassion. For Harrivaara, food represents the ultimate act of care and love.
”Food education at home is one of the most important things I focus on. It’s essential to teach kids that at its best, cooking can be a social and collaborative activity. Children should see the different stages of cooking and experience the sense of accomplishment that comes with preparing a meal from start to finish," he says.

Kirjonen also sees cooking as a way to do something nice for his loved ones. The idea of the pizzeria was born during the pandemic while baking pizzas for friends and family.
"I got really into perfecting pizza dough, and as my pizzas kept getting better, I started offering them to my neighbors as well. My kids are still quite young, so we don’t cook together that much yet. We did make gingerbread before Christmas, but the immediate feedback was that ‘Dad gives too many instructions,’" he laughs.

Simo’s tip to impress your loved ones!

What’s a great dish to cook if you want something quick and effortless to share with the ones you care for?
”An easy and shareable dinner menu is a SSäm Party—a Korean-style meal where various pickled vegetables (such as cucumber, carrot, radish, and onion), kimchi, and protein (meat, tofu, or fish, depending on preference) are wrapped in lettuce leaves and topped with delicious sauces. It’s an easy-to-assemble meal and a great way to enjoy social dining with loved ones while having great conversations!"