Championing the fresh quality food scene in the Nordics: Anders’ and Kaitlin’s Helsinki

Content creators Anders Husa and Kaitlin Orr Husa both were passionate about food from a young age – their journey into this industry began when they were both poor students. Anders started a blog where he shared recipes, and Kaitlin used any excuse to escape her school’s cafeteria and explore NYC’s vibrant food scene. The timing was just right with the rise of Instagram, and they both began visiting more and more restaurants in far-flung places, eventually meeting each other when Kaitlin traveled to Norway.

They quickly joined forces, deciding it was much more fun to travel and eat together, and seven years later they’re still here – and still hungry.

The Husas have always done their best to champion the incredible food scene in the Nordics. Anders first began blogging about the region’s incredible restaurants over a decade ago, and when they moved in together, the duo made the active decision to stay in the Nordic region and keep it as their main focus. Anders and Kaitlin passionately believe that the Nordics are home to the best restaurants in the world, so, really, it was a selfish (and delicious) decision. They are so inspired by the chefs, philosophies, and ingredients in the North.

Piece of (Mansikkakakku) Cake.

Ambassador MyStory, Bar, Coffee, food, Lunch, restaurant, Wine

Created

4 Mar 2026

| 5 min read

Focusing on stories that want to be told

In a digital time with a focus on clickbait and virality, Anders and Kaitlin try to block out the noise and focus on the stories they want to tell. The duo believes that if it’s a story that they are passionate to tell, others will be inspired to listen. This is the core of what they do, and what guides every decision they make.

Helsinki impresses with her diversity

According to the duo, Helsinki has such an amazing food scene, especially given the small size of the city. Anders and Kaitlin are continually impressed by the diversity, and how much the city’s food scene develops each year. They think it’s still an underrated food city when compared to the other Nordic capitals, and they love having the honor to be cheerleaders and ambassadors for the Finnish capital, spreading the word about all the amazing offerings to their audience.

Finding life-work balance

The sustainability in Anders’ and Kaitlin’s personal life centers around their life/work balance. When they are on trips, they have to prioritise time working out (whether in the gym or out in nature) daily, and when they are home they take breaks from eating out at restaurants and eat healthy, protein-rich meals. The duo also makes sure to limit their alcohol intake. Even though it might look like it on Instagram, they don’t eat out every day.

All of Anders’ and Kaitlin’s partnerships need to align with their authentic values and beliefs. After building up a loyal audience for over a decade, they know their followers look to and trust them to recommend places they love and believe in. That’s why it’s essential that the partnerships reflect their core values – otherwise any marketing project or brand partnership would feel inauthentic and disingenuous to the audience. If the duo is actually going to inspire people to visit a destination, it has to be a place they truly and genuinely believe in and want to promote.

Championing small, independent spots from big dreamers

Anders and Kaitlin are always most inspired by the people behind a project. Chefs are artists, and the duo thinks it is its greatest joy to watch them pour their passion onto the plate. Hearing different stories and inspirations is always the most touching part of the couple’s job, and really inspires them to go out and tell their own stories. Food brings people together. Eating is something we all do, and so many of life’s best moments are shared around a table together. Anders and Kaitlin aren’t inspired by big chain restaurants; they’re passionate about championing small, independent spots from big dreamers.

TIP: The biggest challenge for Anders and Kaitlin is that they are partners in both business and life, and because food is not just their job but also their passion, these worlds often bleed into each other. The duo makes sure they don’t overwork themselves and also prioritise having time off. Getting offline and out in nature, eating healthy food and resetting, and nourishing the personal relationships outside of the “office” are all key components of maintaining that balance. This is something the couple still struggles with, but it has vastly improved over the last few years, getting better every day at setting those boundaries and prioritising health (also mental health!).

There are so many influencers and creatives in the space today – both Anders and Kaitlin think that this is amazing. They love the many diverse voices speaking up in the field. But the couple thinks for many creatives it can feel overwhelming, to feel like just one of many, and some question their worth and their value. One thing that the duo tries to focus on, and encourage among its peers, is the importance of uniqueness and individuality. Anders and Kaitlin always come back to their favourite Dr. Seuss quote:

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Every voice matters; there is no one out there in the world with your exact perspective and point of view. Highlighting that and leaning into that uniqueness and originality is what will set you and your content apart from the rest. There’s room for everyone!

As Anders and Kaitlin look ahead to the future, their next chapter will likely be starting a family. They got married last year and would love to bring a little food baby into the world. If the food family grows, it will be interesting to see how this new addition to their world shapes their work and the stories they tell. Maybe there will be a heavier focus on kid-friendly restaurants!

Follow Anders & Kaitlin:

Follow Anders & Kaitlin on social media @andershusa @carnivorr