The story of Suomen Osteriakatemia

Suomen Osteriakatemia’s service principles

  • The customer is king.
  • When it comes to service, only the best is good enough.
  • We are small but agile, and we offer comprehensive and high-quality services.
  • You are always served by a competent team of professionals.
  • We invest in our team: most of us have years of experience in sales as well as professional backgrounds in the food sector.
  • Deliver or die.

How did our love affair with food begin?

A good, sufficient and varied diet is one of the key bases for our growth and well-being. My mother said that children must be fed with proper food. Our family had traditional home-made dishes such as meatballs and pies for dinner every week.

I used to like many of the school canteen classics, and I still don’t understand why so many hated them. After all, it was a luxury that even the smallest schools had a cook or two to make sure that growing children didn’t go hungry.

Stepping stones: America and the restaurant business

My year as an exchange student in the United States opened my eyes to the prevalent fast food culture. I don’t think the industry was quite as wild as it is now, but I was left marvelling at the efficiency of it. Food had to be ready quickly, and it had to be eaten quickly. School menus were, and probably still are, full of fast food.

I ended up working in the restaurant business; in 1980s Finland, the sector was going through a phase influenced by French cuisine. Gourmet food à la Nouvelle Cuisine and Husmans Konst was becoming popular. Traditional home-cooked food was eaten in restaurants at lunchtime, while haute cuisine dinners were being cooked at home.

My business started with oysters

In the mid-1980s, I joined the kitchen at restaurant Galateia at the Hotel InterContinental in Helsinki. It was the first time I had come across the wonderful world of oysters. It didn’t take long until I started to organise oyster opening championships. I was also involved in the oyster aficionados’ club Osterin Ystävät ry.

In the 21st century, my interests have expanded to include special and nowadays somewhat unpopular delicacies, such as Finnish pickled herring and lutefisk.

My job has allowed me to get to know the cuisines of many countries, which has made me appreciate Finnish raw products even more. I value clean Finnish food and uncomplicated flavours.

My staff and I always strive to offer our customers the best food experiences. We bring a vast range of food products to consumers.

- Olli Osteri

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