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Restaurant Cook

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Start your vocational studies in English

Develop your skills and become a real culinary expert. At Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College, you will learn the restaurant cook basic skills in a work-based studies or completing full-time day program.

Studies of a Restaurant Cook are available for persons, who live in Finland, have a sufficient level of English language skills and do not have a vocational qualification, degree or  study place or the applicant has a little work experience in the restaurant field.

Restaurant Cook,

Complete your degree by studying at school and at the workplace

Apply for a study place for full-time day studies: 1.3.–27.4.2025

The full-time studies starts on the 13th of August 2025. Before that students participates in an orientation day on the 2nd of June. The Restaurant Cook full-time studies are carried out in lessons at school, training in Restaurant Perho and in various restaurants in the capital region.

The Full-time day studies application opens on 1st of March

Study a degree by working

You can apply for the work-based Restaurant Cook studies throughout the year.

Studies takes place as an apprenticeship or a training agreement with your employer. The training starts with a flexible schedule.

Apply : Restaurant Cook, Work-based studies

Watch Chef Clarence’s real profession story

Clarence dreamed of becoming a chef for a long time and filled out an application at the beginning of many years but never sent it forward.

What finally made him apply for a place to study at Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College? What does he get inspired by and build something new from a sudden idea to offer changing hotel’s guests?

Apply now to Restaurant Cook studies – Read more about the Application Eligibility

Restaurant Cook-Culinary Expert

 

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Restaurant Waiter Studies

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Study Vocational qualification in Restaurant and Catering Services, Customer Service, Waiter

Are you a person with a passion for hospitality? Do you have experience working in a restaurant? With us you can take your skills to the next level, we’re here to support your hospitality and culinary journey every step of the way.

You can submit your application at any time.

Apply now: Restaurant Waiter – Hospitality Expert

You can study a waiter degree by working

At Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College’s studies you will learn the basic skills of a waiter quickly in working life.

English-taught education of Restaurant Waiter – Hospitality Expert is available as work-based studies. The length of the studies is 1–1,5 years on average.

Studies are started flexibly. Therefore, there is no one official start date for the Waiter studies. The start of your studies depends on among other things your previous knowledge and skills.

When applying for a study place

  • You can apply for the work-based Restaurant Waiter studies throughout the year.
  • You live in Finland and speak English well enough.
  • You have work experience in restaurants at least one year.
  • Studies takes place as an apprenticeship or a training agreement with your current employer. Please, make sure with your employer that this arrangement is acceptable to them.

Apply now to Restaurant Waiter Studies – Read more about the Application Eligibility

Restaurant Waiter – Hospitality Expert

Graduation Ceremony

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The graduation ceremony for new professionals in the restaurant industry from Perho Business College’s Töölö campus was held traditionally at the Temppeliaukio Church on Friday, May 31, 2024.

The principal of Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College Juha Ojajärvi opened the graduation ceremony with his speech.

We had Restaurant Cooks and Restaurant Waiters graduate from the vocational qualification of Restaurant and Catering Services program.

We are so proud of you. We wish you success in your future endeavors.

Graduating student Sofiya Karhu gave a formal speech to the new professionals.

We warmly congratulate the graduates.

 

 

 

 

A man collecting kelp from the Baltic Sea on the coast of Denmark.

AgriCulinary Students’ Study Trip to Denmark

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Learning Sustainable Gastronomy in Denmark

The three-day study trip of AgriCulinary students outside Finland took place at Zealand Business College in Denmark.

On the way, the students learned to face sustainable gastronomy, how to use seaweed in food preparation and raising rabbits. In the teaching kitchen of ZBC College’s restaurant school they also milled a blend of flour from various grain types, which they used in smala groups to prepare pizza doughs to rise for the evening meal.

A man shows kelp that he collects from the Baltic Sea on the coast of Denmark.

The agriculinary student collecting kelp from the Baltic Sea on the coast of Denmark.

Read the entire artickle

AgriCulinary Students

AgriCulinary Erasmus+ project

Creating a new innovative & multidisciplinary future-oriented AgriCulinary Training Unit for culinary & horticultural field towards more sustainable planetary food system.

Period: 1.9.2022–31.1.2025 incl. pilot training 8/2023–8/2024
Contributor: Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH) and Erasmus+
Coordinator: Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College (PCTBC, Finland)
Partners: Mosjøen videregående skole (MVGS, Norway) and Zealand Business College (ZBC, Denmark)

More information: agriculinary.eu

Gold medals to Finland and Denmark at the Nordic Cooking and Waitressing Students’ Championships

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Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College students won the gold medal

The Finnish team won the gold medal in the Cooking and Waitressing Nordic Student Championships. The Danish team won the gold medal in the Waitressing category.

Alice Laasonen and Daniel Romi from Perho Culinary, Tourism and Business College competed in the Finnish team that won the gold medal in cooking.

The Danish team that won the gold medal in the waitressing category was Jacob Urth and Kasper Andersen from College360.

Prize winners: Chefs
1st place: Finland
2nd place: Denmark
3rd place: Norway

Prize winners: Waiters
1st place: Denmark
2nd place: Norway
3rd place: Iceland

– On behalf of the Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all the participants, particularly the 20 exceptional young professionals who demonstrated their skills and sportsmanship. Their camaraderie was genuinely admirable despite the fierce competition, says Timo Lappi, CEO of the Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa.

MaRa and Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College hosted the competitions. The competition is organized by the Nordic restaurant and tourism associations. Each country takes turns hosting the event. In 2025, the competition will be held in Silkeborg, Denmark, and HORESTA will host it. The Nordic Student Cooking and Waitressing Championships were held in Helsinki on 26.-27.4.2024.

The organizers would like to thank the partners who supported the competition for their valuable support. In 2024, the partners were Anora, Atria, Fazer, Fiblon, Hartwall, Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk, Valio Aimo, Vihannespörssi and Wihuri Metro-tukku.

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For more information:

The Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa
Katri Jakosuo, Education Policy Advisor
+358 41 501 4224
katri.jakosuo (at) mara.fi

Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College
Marja Hemmi, Director, Hospitality and Culinary Education
+358 40 480 5577
marja.hemmi (at) perho.fi

The annual Nordic Championship for Chef and Waiter Students

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The Nordic championships for chef and waiter will be contested in Helsinki

The annual Nordic Championship for Chef and Waiter Students will be in Helsinki this year. The competition hosts teams from all the Nordic countries. The Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa host together with Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College this year’s championship.

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April 26–27, at Töölö campus, Perhonkatu 11, Helsinki

It is an honor to serve as the venue for the competitions aimed at young Nordic talents. Additionally, the championship provides our teachers and students with a unique opportunity to develop expertise in event management and competition activities and to get acquainted with Nordic colleagues, says Juha Ojajärvi, the principal of Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College.

Here, the most promising cook and waiter apprentices from Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland will go head-to-head to bring the title home.

Every year, there is an overall theme for the competitions. This theme will influence all the tasks during competition days. In 2024, the theme is “Springtime”. The two-day competition showcases culinary and service skills. The waiters’ and chefs’ categories see competitors representing their nations preparing and serving multi-course meals. The waiter students will demonstrate their service-minded attitude through tasks such as table setting, napkin folding, wine tasting, and bartending.

Competition Managers are Ann Mari Wang-Johannessen (waiters) from Norway and Dennis Rafn (cooks) from Denmark.

The Nordic Championship for Chef and Waiter Students promotes the appreciation and attractiveness of the industry. The competition also serves as a testament to the effective Nordic cooperation that drives the industry forward. Collaboration with Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College is also significant, states Timo Lappi, CEO of the Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa.

The Nordic hospitality associations organise the competition, and the countries take turns hosting the event. The first-ever championship was held in 1981.

For more information – The annual Nordic Championship for Chef and Waiter Students

The Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa
Katri Jakosuo, Education Policy Advisor
+358 41 501 4224
katri.jakosuo (at) mara.fi

Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College
Marja Hemmi, Director, Hospitality and Culinary Education
+358 40 480 5577
marja.hemmi (at) perho.fi

The 2024 Nordic Championship for Chef and Waiter Students has Anora, Atria, Fazer, Fiblon, Hartwall, Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk, Valio Aimo, Wihuri Metro Wholesale and Vihannespörssi Wholesale as its partners.

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A group of people standing outdoors in front of big pink logo.

Learning about gardening and biodynamic farming

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The study trip of AgriCulinary students to Kiipula Gardens teaching garden and the biodynamic Haltijan farm

The visit of AgriCulinary students was directed to Kiipula Gardens teaching garden in Turenki and the biodynamic Haltijan farm in Vesilahti. At the commercial teaching garden of Kiipula Gardens, summer flowers and vegetables are cultivated in the greenhouse, and organic vegetables, berries, and fruits are grown outdoors.

A group of people standing outdoors in front of big pink logo.

After Kiipula visit we went to Haltijan farm’s restaurant for lunch, where AgriCulinary students were served a vegetarian meal made from available vegetables, grains, and herbs. The Haltijan farm produces biodynamically vegetables, honey, flowers, beef, and lamb meat, as well as hides and wool. The farm hosts events and courses, and the restaurant operates on weekends.

Read the entire article Visiting Kiipula Gardens and Haltija Farm/

AgriCulinary Erasmus+ project

Creating a new innovative & multidisciplinary future-oriented AgriCulinary Training Unit for culinary & horticultural field towards more sustainable planetary food system.

Period: 1.9.2022–31.1.2025 incl. pilot training 8/2023–8/2024
Contributor: Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH) and Erasmus+
Coordinator: Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College (PCTBC, Finland)
Partners: Mosjøen videregående skole (MVGS, Norway) and Zealand Business College (ZBC, Denmark)

More information: agriculinary.eu

Albert’s ways to reduce food waste

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Teaching Zero Waste Cooking

Albert Sunyer from restaurant Nolla teaches the students of the AgriCulinary training program how sustainably produced vegetables can be used almost completely without any waste.

The responsibility for nature and the climate is also ours

In Albert’s opinion, a responsible company also observers and considers the welfare of climate, environment and nature in its operations. At many places, the day’s work is done in a routine way without seeing the overall picture of the amount of waste generated. I noticed that this can be done better.

Who is Albert Sunyer? He is a Barcelona native and father of two, has lived in Finland for almost 12 years. Together with business partners Luca Balać and Carlos Henriques, Albert founded Restaurant Nolla in Helsinki. Although establishing a restaurant might not have been the first thing on Albert’s to-do list when arriving to Finland.

Read the entire artickle

Waste less, make better food, Albert Sunyer

AgriCulinary Erasmus+ project

Creating a new innovative & multidisciplinary future-oriented AgriCulinary Training Unit for culinary & horticultural field towards more sustainable planetary food system.

Period: 1.9.2022–31.1.2025 incl. pilot training 8/2023–8/2024
Contributor: Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH) and Erasmus+
Coordinator: Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College (PCTBC, Finland)
Partners: Mosjøen videregående skole (MVGS, Norway) and Zealand Business College (ZBC, Denmark)

More information: agriculinary.eu

 

Helsinki hauskemmaksi special recognition award to PerhoCTB

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We are making Helsinki more fun

The 2023 Art goes Kapakka festival’s Helsinki hauskemmaksi, ‘Making Helsinki more fun’, special recognition award has been awarded to Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College.

Perho has approximately 1,500 students, with around 160 restaurant and 60 tourism professionals graduating annually. A very large proportion of them remain in the capital region to work. Without them, Helsinki would be a dull place. For almost 90 years, Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College has been training great hospitality personnel and making Helsinki more fun.

Education Manager Marja Hemmi received the award. The recognition was shared by the founder of Art Goes Kapakka Mikko Leisti and Executive Producer Tiina Isohanni. Photograph: Rami Laine, Hokuspokus

Reasons for selection:

The Helsinki hauskemmaksi award has been awarded this year for Perho’s fantastic educational work and, through Perho, to all those who take care of the people of Helsinki and their guests both in everyday life and on special occasions. From local restaurants to award-winning fine dining, from summit meetings to casual lunches, from hotel breakfasts to pub evenings, our fantastic service professionals do their utmost to ensure that everyone enjoys themselves to the fullest.

Without them, so many special moments would not have happened.
There is always someone happy to work so that others can enjoy themselves, and these professionals must be made more aware of the value of their work.

As the world presents challenges both at home and internationally, it is clear that people getting together has a positive impact. And positive encounters are worth working for.

As the purchase of goods decreases, there is a corresponding increase in the use of services. The range of restaurants has expanded and improved, and the quality and ambience of these and other leisure destinations have taken leaps and bounds. Good times together, wonderful experiences and food, drink and leisure are more than worth the effort.

It’s crucial that the hospitality business and the service industries in general play an integral part in shaping our country’s future.

Jobs in the services sector are available for people of all ages, Finns who are born and bred here and more recent Finns. It is an international industry that offers great opportunities.

Helsinki hauskemmaksi and Art goes Kapakka commends Perho students on their great career choice. You are the industry of the future.

Congratulations!

Helsinki hauskemmaksi special recognition award – further information

Marja Hemmi, Director, Hospitality and Culinary Education
+358 (0)40 480 5577
marja.hemmi (at) perho.fi

Satu Sandman, Director, Tourism Industry Education
+358 (0)40 775 3266
satu.sandman (at) perho.fi

Juha Ojajärvi, Principal, CEO
+358 (0)400 939 269
juha.ojajarvi (at) perho.fi

Every year since 1996, the Art Goes Kapakka festival >> awards the prize to a person or organisation that has done something to make Helsinki more fun in the long run.

Erasmus+ AgriCulinary

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AgriCulinary – OPH/Erasmus+ Joint Project

In the project we create a new innovative & multidisciplinary future-oriented AgriCulinary Training Unit for culinary & horticultural field towards more sustainable planetary food system.

Period: 1.9.2022–31.1.2025 incl. pilot training 8/2023–8/2024
Contributors: Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH) and Erasmus+
Coordinator: Perho Culinary, Tourism & Business College (PCTBC, Finland)
Partners: Mosjøen videregående skole (MVGS, Norway) and Zealand Business College (ZBC, Denmark)
Website: agriculinary.eu >>

Work stages and their leaders:

  • Project Management (PCTBC + monitoring the quality of the project by MVGS)
  • Educational beachmarking & visits (MVGS)
  • Development of curriculum & teacher training (ZBC)
  • AgriCulinary pilot training program unit (PCTBC)
  • Impact and dissemination (PCTBC + MVGS)

Main objectives:

  • A comprehensive understanding of best sustainable practices within culinary and agriculture curriculum to be combiled into a summary report that is used in the development of AgriCulinary training curriculum and supplemental materials.
  • Development of a multidisciplinary Agriculinary training curriculum & materials & to educate teachers for new innovative training unit.
  • Develop and create online publication of the AgriCulinary training and to organize open webinars.

Implementation:

  • Implementing training & piloting AgriCulinary training program collaboratively at three participating colleges offering local contact lessons, collaborative online lessons, webinars & on-site workshops (sharing & learning local practices).
  • Updating AgriCulinary training curriculum, develop training videos & supplemental materials during piloting of training.
  • Developing a summary of best educational practices and produce final version of AgriCulinary training unit to be shared publicly online.

Results:

  • Training of teachers, completion of all training materials and disseminate project findings and information via online platforms including; webinars, video and printed content, educational curriculum and training materials for AgriCulinary classes and practical activities.
  • Develop and create of www-pages, completion of video summary of the whole project, organize dissemination workshop and final report of the project.

Pro sustainable food and planet 💚

Erasmus+ AgriCulinary – further information

Erasmus+ Value Europe

Johanna Mäesalu
Manager, International Affairs
+358 (0)50 380 5944
johanna.maesalu (at) perho.fi