Following on from their debut at 2010’s London Design Festival, and a two-week event in native Helsinki; HEL YES! – a travelling troupe of designers, chefs and performers – created an unforgettable few nights, in a magical venue, for last week’s Stockholm Design Week. Exploring “the spiritual powers of the design collective, as well as the influence of nature and cosmic energy on the design process and food culture”, it sounds a lot more high-concept and pretentious than it actually is. In reality, HEL YES! is a bloody good romp – and with its effortlessly stylish blend of performance, art and gastronomy; it’s possibly one of the most engaging culinary experiences on the planet right now.

With blizzard conditions outside only serving to enhance the mood and ambience of the night, and the perfect, old-church venue of Eric Ericson Hall (Skeppsholmskyrkan) standing proud over idyllic Skeppsholmen island; our first night in Stockholm was soon off to a bang at the collective’s “press and friends” open night. Performance artist Maria Duncker’s breathtaking ‘Bone Orchestra’ played out like Tom Waits soundtracking a David Lynch film, traditional Karelian canapés and beer last experienced on Lapland day tours were on hand, whilst tango and traditional song completed a truly memorable experience.

Intoxicatingly original, our full-house of senses are purring with anticipation for HEL YES!’s next incarnation…