Vote to get Espoo Catering’s PRO candidates to the 2025 final!

Below is a brief introduction to each of our candidates and instructions for voting!

1. Go to the Pro Gala website(external link, opens in a new window) and choose “Ilmoita ehdokas” (“Suggest a candidate”)
2. Enter the candidate details and series.
3. Add your own details and submit the form.

Remember to vote by 22 September 2024.

My name is Marjo Sundström and I have the honour of being Espoo Catering’s candidate for the Employee of Professional Kitchen series of the Pro Gala. I work as a service manager at the Mainingin koulu comprehensive school. I am responsible for the daily dining of about 700 pupils and teachers with my two colleagues. I graduated from a hotel and restaurant school in Espoo, after which I have worked in the restaurant industry for over 30 years.

I started working at Espoo Catering about four years ago. I enjoy my work, and good service and high-quality products are close to my heart!

Why does Marjo belong in the PRO final?

• She has long and extensive work experience, she is a true professional!
• Excellent organisation skills
• Always happy and positive, a genuine team worker
• Conscientious, straightforward and systematic
• The customer comes first: Excellent customer service and cooperation skills
• Candidate for Food Educator of the Year 2024, as suggested by customers, received an honourable mention from the jury
• A well-liked colleague who always helps others
• Marjo makes great food!

My name is Paula Kolppanen-Valli and I started studying catering in 1986, and since then I have worked in several restaurants as well as cookie and chocolate factories!

I started at Espoo Catering in 1999 and since 2017 I have worked as a production manager at our largest kitchen, Kilon Keittiö. Working at Kilo has taught me a lot about ingredients, working methods, work organisation and leadership. It is important to me that the development of Kilon Keittiö continues and everyone contributes to the development. EC’svision of “setting the table with joy and energy” is an important source of motivation for me.   

Why does Paula belong in the PRO final?

• Has a long, extensive and successful career in managerial positions in all sectors of our operations
• A skilled and charismatic powerhouse – leads Kilon Keittiö’s operations with great professionalism
• Has a firm and determined approach, is a reliable professional willing to develop both herself and others
• Great know-how, no matter if the situation involves a technical problem, cooking or a production process
• A valued and well-liked employee, leads her multicultural work community with a warm heart
• Will not hesitate to take on any task in her kitchen if necessary
• Exceptionally nice and has a great sense of humour!

An increasing number of EC employees speak a language other than Finnish as their native tongue, and we tailor work tasks for partially disabled employees or disabled employees who cannot work alone.  We provide students with opportunities for on-the-job learning. We consider it important that we continue to develop and we are involved in various additional training courses and projects, such as the Futurum project for people who have trouble getting employed, OSKE (Omnia Skills Centre) through which we get employees who are learning about the Finnish language and work culture, as well as cooperation with Disability Services. We also visit other companies to share our experiences and tell them about the responsibility work we have done. A diverse work community is important to us!

Why does Espoo Catering’s social responsibility belong in the Pro final?

• Sustained and systematic work to develop social responsibility
• A wonderfully diverse and multicultural work environment: we employ people born in Finland, people who have moved to Finland from other countries and people with different work capacities
• Support for communicating: Courses in the Finnish and English languages, training for Ukrainians, opportunity to study any language with support
• An interpreter assists in the recruitment process, if necessary
• Multilingual communications, e.g. the onboarding system and event also held in English
• Illustrated and video-format instructions that use clear language
• Cooperation with several educational institutions
• Active participation in various recruitment events, including those aimed at different groups, e.g. students, people aged over 50 and Ukrainians
• Tailoring work tasks according to an employee’s life situation, coping and skills – including the possibility of a shortened working day and week​
• A diverse work community is our way of working!