How does a Finnish chef become an expert in Spanish food culture, a chef with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, and a gastronomic entrepreneur? Jani Paasikoski’s story brings together two home countries, decades of experience, and a desire to tell the story of food culture in new ways.
Jani Paasikoski is a Finnish-born chef, food stylist, and entrepreneur whose career is built around the meeting of Finnish culinary traditions and Spanish gastronomy. He is the founder of Jani.Store, a company based in Barcelona, and his work spans restaurant kitchens, food media, private chef services, events for international brands, and content production.
Growing Up Between Two Cultures
Paasikoski’s connection to Spain began at an early age. He moved to Fuengirola with his family at just four years old, in 1984. He attended a Spanish school and grew up surrounded by local friends, naturally becoming familiar with the language and culture. After several years in Spain, his family returned to Finland, where he lived in Sodankylä and discovered life and traditions in Finnish Lapland.
His experiences in these two very different environments stayed with him. Spain became a place he wanted to return to, while his years in Lapland introduced him to Finnish culinary traditions and local ingredients. His grandmother made a particularly strong impression on him by preparing traditional Lappish and Finnish dishes at a time when the concept of local food was far less prominent than it is today.
His interest in becoming a chef eventually emerged while working at the meat and fish counter of a grocery store. A colleague’s stories about a career in professional kitchens inspired Paasikoski to pursue culinary studies in Jyväskylä. After graduating, he followed his long-held plan and moved back to Spain permanently in 2001.
From Professional Kitchens to Entrepreneurship
After returning to Spain, Paasikoski developed his skills in different parts of the country. His career took him from Fuengirola to Jávea and eventually to Barcelona, where he began working at the renowned Via Veneto restaurant in 2005. The restaurant has a long history of holding a Michelin star.
He subsequently worked under several well-known Spanish chefs, including Ramón Freixa, the Torres twins, and Carles Abellán. These experiences in demanding professional kitchens laid the foundation for his career as a chef and, later, as an entrepreneur.
One of the most significant achievements of Paasikoski’s career was finishing third in the 2022 World Paella Day Cup in Valencia. The finalists were challenged to prepare a paella representing their own roots. Paasikoski chose reindeer, an iconic ingredient of northern Finnish cuisine, bringing it together with one of Spain’s most emblematic dishes.
Reindeer paella perfectly captures his approach to cooking: familiar culinary traditions can meet and inspire something new without losing their origins.
Another important part of his career has been his collaboration with Spanish food media. Paasikoski has prepared dishes for some of Spain’s most popular food magazines, teaching Spanish audiences about their own traditional cuisine from the perspective of a Finnish chef. He sees these collaborations as an example of how a fresh perspective and in-depth knowledge can challenge cultural expectations.
From 2019 to 2022, Paasikoski served as president of Barcelona’s association of chefs and pastry chefs. Founded in 1885, the association has deep roots in Spain’s culinary industry. As a Finnish professional, he considers the opportunity to represent the sector a particularly meaningful achievement.
Finnish Roots, Mediterranean Spirit
For Paasikoski, Finland and Spain are not two separate worlds but complementary sources of inspiration. He describes his company’s philosophy with the phrase “Con mentalidad nórdica, espíritu mediterráneo” – a Nordic mindset with a Mediterranean spirit.
In his view, the Nordic approach is reflected in planning and rational thinking, while Spanish food culture brings creativity, strong traditions, and a Mediterranean way of life. Both influences shape how he approaches food, client relationships, and collaboration.
Paasikoski believes Spain’s food culture is exceptionally diverse, yet its best qualities are not always communicated beyond the country’s borders. The food offered to tourists can give a limited impression of the country’s true gastronomic richness. Through his work, he wants to highlight authentic ingredients, local producers, and traditions that offer much more than the best-known tapas or paella.
Finnish-Spanish collaboration has also played a role in his professional network. He works with the Embassy of Finland in Madrid and has participated in presenting Finnish food culture in Spain. He has also cooked for Finnish and Spanish audiences and carried out gastronomic projects in both countries.
In this work, food becomes more than a meal. It is a way to tell stories, introduce cultures, and build connections between people and businesses.
Food, Content, and Experiences for Businesses
Paasikoski became an entrepreneur in 2014. Initially, his work included food styling, cooking classes, restaurant consulting, catering services, and pop-up restaurants. In 2024, his business transitioned into a limited company under the name Jani.Store.
Today, the company focuses on gastronomic marketing events, content production, and bespoke dining experiences. Its clients primarily include companies in the food industry, alongside media organisations, production companies, and private clients.
Paasikoski’s services combine three main areas:
Gastronomic events and content production: Promotional events for businesses and high-quality audiovisual content that gives food, products, and brands greater visibility.
Private chef and catering services: Tailor-made dining experiences designed around the needs of businesses and private clients.
Jani.Store e-commerce venture: A planned online store aiming to bring selected Mediterranean products and wines directly to customers from small-scale producers.
The Finnish-Spanish culinary concept is a particularly interesting part of his offering. It combines Finnish recipes and food concepts with Spanish ingredients and cooking techniques. The result can give businesses a new way to communicate their background, host client events, or highlight cultural connections through food.
Every service is tailored to the client’s needs and planned individually. For Paasikoski, the focus is not only on what ends up on the plate, but also on the experience the food creates and the story it tells.
Looking Ahead
Paasikoski’s future ambitions build on the same philosophy. Developing the Jani.Store online shop, expanding gastronomic events and content production, and promoting Finnish and Spanish food cultures remain at the heart of his work. His plans also include paella-related events in Finland and internationally.
Over the course of his career, Paasikoski has moved from Spanish restaurant kitchens to international competitions and gastronomic entrepreneurship. Yet what makes his story particularly interesting is not simply the number of achievements, but how his diverse experiences have shaped his own professional perspective.
His Finnish roots and the expertise he has gained in Spain do not compete with one another; they complement each other. When these two culinary cultures meet, something new emerges – something that reflects both where it began and the possibilities that lie ahead.
