Finnish Embassies in Paris

Reference

Finnish Embassies
in Paris

The kitchen renovation design for the Finnish Embassies in Paris was commissioned entirely from Davanti Finland. The comprehensive solution ensured the best possible result.

Jani Pesola
Head Chef

“One of the best-fitting kitchens I’ve ever seen”

The kitchen at the Finnish Embassies in Paris differs in nature from standard restaurant kitchens. It serves both the Embassy of Finland in France and the Permanent Representation of Finland to the OECD in Paris. The head chefs at the Embassy create comprehensive experiences to showcase Finnish food culture. The kitchen’s operations focus on the planning and execution of high-level representational events, receptions, and cocktail parties. Additionally, it prepares lunches for small numbers of people, utilizing local and seasonal ingredients. I had the pleasure and honor of serving as the head chef at the Finnish Embassy from 2015 to 2018 when the kitchen renovation took place.

For the renovation, we initially obtained offers from local providers. When the cost estimates exceeded our budget, I suggested also asking for an offer from a Finnish company. I had met Jouni Heinonen previously at the Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon and noticed that our ideas about the culinary world aligned well. Davanti’s offer was clearly better and included the furniture and installers from Finland. Equipment procurement was carried out locally from suppliers recommended by Jouni. This way, maintenance and potential warranty issues remained local. While price was certainly important, the overall solution that delivered the best possible implementation was even more significant.

Even though it’s been some years since the kitchen renovation, the Embassies are still extremely satisfied with the high-quality and long-lasting kitchen, even years later. The Embassies head chefs have a prime opportunity in their work to promote Finnish food culture in France – a country where good food is central to everyday life. A high-quality and functional kitchen is an important part of the head chefs’ daily work.

A shared vision for the new kitchen with its necessary functions was quickly established. Space utilization was maximized, and the kitchen was designed to operate efficiently for the diverse needs of the Embassies kitchen. There was no need for major structural changes; for example, the locations of kitchen appliances and equipment remained the same. Following several emails and discussions the design phase began. Jouni visited the site to take final measurements of the specifics, and once the Ministry for Foreign Affairs gave the green light for the project, we moved on to placing the order. Local specialists were hired for the old kitchen’s dismantling and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and electrical installations. When the new kitchen was installed, everything fit together with millimeter precision. Only one table’s support structure pipe was modified, and even that was handled by Jouni with a traditional handsaw. You can imagine the locals marvelling at the confident skills of the Finnish kitchen designer!

As a kitchen designer, Jouni is in a league of his own. He possesses years of know-how in both design and the technical aspects of machinery and equipment. Jouni has a rare ability to think big and broadly from many different perspectives. At its best, this refines the client’s original kitchen idea into something even better. His extreme precision and attention to even the smallest details produce results that function flawlessly for years to come. I have heard nothing but glowing praise for the kitchen’s functionality from the current butler and head chef at the Embassy. It’s easy to give a warm recommendation!