For half a year, Annika practiced every night with sour cream – Now she can do the right wrist movement even in her sleep

– Annika’s ambition stands out clearly. He sets himself high goals and works uncompromisingly to achieve them.

With these words, the manager described the chef of the restaurant Savoy Annika from Arolaista.

In 2024, Arolainen won the coveted Pro press award in the horeca industry from among 48 candidates.

When reading the comments of Arola’s front man, you don’t have to wonder why he was the recipient of the press award out of all the candidates:

– Annika doesn’t settle for mediocre, she always strives to give her best.

– Annika is an excellent member of the work community. He supports and encourages others, and his positive attitude rubs off on those around him. He does not compete with others, but sees his colleagues as team partners with whom better results are achieved together.

– Annika’s ability to create a positive atmosphere makes her a valuable role model for everyone who wants to succeed in the working community.

This is how Arolais was characterized by his boss at the restaurant Savoy. Arolainen is the restaurant’s chef Patissier, which means he is responsible for the desserts.

Few of Arolainen’s close circle would have believed that Annika, who only ate spaghetti and minced meat sauce as a child, would be a chef when she grows up.

Arolainen himself, on the other hand, has always known it. At the age of ten, he announced that he would go to Perho to study. The parents just smiled half-carelessly that yes, you’ve been playing restaurant games at home.

– My grandmother had a nakki kiosk in Hyvinkää, where I spent a lot of time as a child. My mother and I watched cooking shows on TV. I thought it would be so cool to do something like that, Arolainen says.

And cleanliness has not disappeared over the years and work experience. Arolainen enjoys his work, where he gets to offer experiences to others.

At the age of 14, Arolainen’s parents suggested a tet training in Vanajanlinna. They encouraged you to go and try Do you really like kitchen work?

During the week, Arolainen was able to take part in the Millenium gala. One day he did nothing but cut bread for eight hours. Still, Arolainen was more enthusiastic every day when his parents picked him up at home in the evening.

– I was always happier and more enthusiastic. My parents asked if you still like it and I answered that I could go back right away.

The first long working day of Arolainen’s life was a 14-hour gala day. Then the parents thought that now that girl at least doesn’t want to be a chef, now her passion for the restaurant industry has been taken away.

– I almost cried when I had to go home in the middle of the service. I would have liked to stay and see more. Cooking has always been the only option for me. I haven’t really been able to think of anything else.

According to Arolainen, the restaurant has a work community that is like a family. You feel like you belong there.

– I go my own way and still feel like I’m part of the team.

Since she was a little girl, Arolainen has been running around in the stable among horses and manure. He laughs that it must have become a bit more relaxed approach to things.

At the same time, Arolainen has learned to stick to work and carry 20 kilo feed sacks, because according to his mother, you had to do it if you wanted your own pony.

When Arolainen was a teenager, his father bought a summer restaurant in Kuhmois.

– Father put a pile of empty A4 sheets in front of me and asked me to design the restaurant’s menu. I immediately got down to the real business of planning recipes and making meal lists (misa = pre-preparation of ingredients).

The restaurant still exists and its menu includes dishes devised by Arolainen.

The young woman has quickly reached the top of the restaurant world. Still, while studying at Perho, he thought his first job would be at McDonalds. Arolainen surprised even himself by graduating a year ahead of schedule. When he went to school in the fall, he was told that you are already ready, go get your certificate.

– I sat in the yard of the next gas station and called my mother that school was over.

Arolainen immediately decided to ask for a job at his last internship, Savoy.

– Helena Puolakan subordinate, kitchen manager Henrik Kovanen asked when I could start. I replied that I’m sitting here with knives in my lap, so let’s do it now. Henrik stated that perhana, come here. That’s how I got my first job.

Although getting a job sounds easy, it hasn’t been. Arolainen states that he worked like hell, a thousand extra hours just for training.

– You have to work hard and work long days to get to the top, and you mustn’t give up. I decided once upon a time that I wouldn’t stand at the feet of others.

In addition to working extra hours at work, he has been practicing at home as well.

– In the early days, I had to learn the round shape made with a spoon, but it just didn’t work out for me at all. I went to buy two kilos of sour cream at Lidl and whipped it, watched TV and twisted my knees. I did it every night for half a year. Now I can do them even in my dreams.

Arolainen does not feel that he has lost anything or suffered because of his restaurant job. He has received more than he has given. He has always wanted to be a real chef, maybe he is gradually starting to believe that he already has one. Arolainen appreciates that as a chef, he gets to create new things and give taste experiences.

According to Arolainen, a good chef needs an understanding of flavors. When you have a good taste palette, you can combine flavors with each other. Self-initiative and extroversion are important qualities. If you have passion, a taste palette and a desire to work hard, you have the potential to become a great chef.

Arolainen reminds that with chef training you can do a lot more than just kitchen work, and fine dining is not the most important thing for everyone.

In recent years, there have been a lot of nasty comments about the restaurant world, and especially about the top places. Arolainen recognizes the shortcomings, but does not want to stigmatize the entire industry. He too has seen bad jobs and screaming predecessors. But already during Arolainen’s seven years as a chef, there has been a big change.

– I bet there are bad bosses in every industry, we just talk about them more.

According to Arolainen, he also adapts to working hours. You can’t always make it to all the weekend meetings and when others are celebrating, you’re working at the restaurant.

– My friends go to the villages on May Day, I’m working myself. Others are drinking kumpa, myself a third cup of coffee.

According to Arolainen, if you want to do fine dining, you have to understand that you can’t have free time every weekend. It is part of the restaurant industry.

Arolainen enjoys the most when the evening service is in progress, i.e. there are customers in the restaurant hall and the kitchen is busy. The greater the pressure and rush, the more Arolainen gets excited.

– I love the crazy services of the Christmas season, when you’re always a little behind, you have to pull faster and faster, in kitchen terms you’re a little under the sail or under the train. Even though the pressure is hard and the sweat is on my forehead, I know that the customer will receive perfect food.

Arolainen’s favorite ingredient is mayonnaise. He laughs that mayonnaise is on every menu at his own catering gigs. Ditto pickled things.

– I like those two very much. In addition, I want the raw material I use to be visible in the finished food. It annoys me if I don’t recognize the ingredients of the food on my plate.

Arolainen also wants to minimize wastage. He squeezes the juice from the lemon and grates the yellow part of the peel and cooks syrup from the rest of the peel.

Although Arolainen’s goal is to be the best chef in Finland, he will probably never admit to himself that the goal has now been achieved. First of all, you should understand that there is even a real chef.

A distant and big dream is to have my own restaurant, Annika’s living room, with a relaxed, hearty and cheerful atmosphere, the food would be fine dining style, not a bistro. But there is a long way to go. Arolainen wants to learn a lot more, in addition to cooking, management and portion planning.

Now Arolainen is living his dream as a chef.

The 2025 Pro winners will be awarded on January 30. All the finalists of this year’s series are shown Avec media on the pages.