I graduated in 1992 as a mass catering supervisor. That said, it took me 30 years to be mature enough for a supervisory role. For a couple of years, I’ve worked as the local supervisor of the kitchen at Pääskytien koulu.
During those 30 years, I was at home with my children and living abroad. I returned to work life in Porvoo, first as a kitchen trainee, then as a food service worker and did a long stint as a service manager in the school kitchen at Albert Edelfeltin koulu.
My workdays are high-tempo and full of excitement. From the area kitchen, we send food to 14 other units and take care of our own school meals. This means I help at the kitchen line, with the dishes and wherever I’m needed. My wonderful colleagues playfully call me a joker. I mostly spend my afternoons at the office. About half of my normal work days are composed of office duties.
I also meet my clients – the youngsters studying at the school – on a daily basis. They are our future. In the future, they will treat me as doctors or nurses, and teach my grandchildren. I do my part for their upbringing. For example, you don’t eat lunch with your cap on in our school canteen!
Even though food is the top priority, every single child’s well-being is also important. They all should come and eat our great school food. If we can get the kids to follow the plate model every day at school, they will have more energy and many of their problems will be reduced. I am happy to participate in working groups when solving eating difficulties or other challenges. It feels incredibly good when such problems get solved.
Flexibility is something I appreciate in the City of Porvoo as an employer. The employer has the flexibility to accommodate your family situation. The city takes great care of all of us in the staff, as well as our machines and equipment. The city ensures that we have first-class work equipment.
Italy Week was visible in schools and daycares throughout Porvoo.