withKuivattua

withKuivattua is a conceptual project and brand that explores dried foods as a medium for culinary, artistic, and ecological expression. The name blends an English preposition with the Finnish word kuivattu, meaning dried, signaling its focus on dehydration as a practice rather than a single recipe.

It emerged in the early 2020s from a collaborative group of artists, chefs, and preservation specialists in Helsinki. Founding figures include Mina Luostarinen, a designer, and Joonas Salminen, a chef-technologist. The project positions drying not merely as preservation but as a creative process that can transform textures, flavors, and narratives.

The project operates an online repository of drying techniques, equipment reviews, and ingredient profiles. It hosts workshops and demonstrations both online and in select cities, offers a quarterly publication (a zine) featuring project reports, recipes, and interviews, and curates a small venue-based exhibition series focused on dried materials and their cultural contexts.

The project is regarded as a bridge between traditional food preservation and contemporary art practice. It has inspired home cooks and small producers to experiment with air-drying, sun-drying, and low-temperature dehydration, and has contributed to a broader conversation about sustainability and waste reduction.

The platform emphasizes community contributions, with guidelines for submitting techniques and documentation. It maintains partnerships with farmers markets, design studios, and culinary schools in Nordic regions, fostering collaboration across culinary and artistic communities.