About Us
Who We Are
Tarinapata Oy is a client-centered, holistic consulting business offering innovative and strategic guidance for your business including customized training. We operate across Finland.
Abroad, we operated under the name Flying Chefs® and our expertise in the international food markets revolves around international food expos to introduce Finnish ingredients and food and beverage cultures to new markets.
The core value guiding Tarinapata Oy has always been the allure of good food and flawless service.
Expertise and Experience
We have over 40 years of experience and specialize in many facets of the restaurant industry. Our clients include new businesses that hire us to guide them through the opening of their restaurant or cafe and those who have been running a successful operation for years, but have now plateaued or losing customers and are looking for ways to invigorate their business.
We offer a wide range of services that look at the operations holistically and offer customized solutions with practical guidance on developing food and beverage menus, staffing solutions, and education to meet our clients’ needs.
Client-centered Philosophy
Our clients mean everything to us and we work closely with them to meet their needs. We offer expertise in an environment that can often be unknown and unpredictable. We focus on creating an environment of trust and open communication and work diligently through the end of the project.
Kim Palhus
Entrepreneurship has always been a critical pillar in Kim’s versatile and international career. Kim describes his career path, not as a single, straightforward road, but as a journey full of innovative discoveries and opportunities to develop himself, his business, and the industry itself. Tarinapata Oy has been involved in opening numerous restaurants and innovating the operating model of many more. The versatility of the experience behind Tarinapata Oy has led to training Finnish embassy chefs across the globe to serving as a Finnish food ambassador in different parts of the world.
In the beginning
Chef Kim Palhus started his career working in the best restaurants in Helsinki. His first job was with the legendary restaurant Motti located in Töölö, Helsinki. After Motti, Kim worked in Kulosaari’s Casino and Handelsgillet, after which he started and operated his own Cafeteria Paula, located, at the time, directly across the main offices of Finnair. The cafeteria served inhabitants of Töölö as well as nearby businesses. Its clientele included Finnair staff and the deli at Stockmann’s.
The early years as a Chef
From there, Kim worked abroad for a couple of years and when he returned to Finland, he accepted a position in Saslik, Helsinki. After a couple of years, an opportunity at the top of Helsinki’s restaurant industry opened up to him as Chef in restaurant Savoy.
Time abroad
Later, Kim accepted a post with the US Embassy in Moscow, and from there, in 1991, he moved for a position with Finland’s permanent representation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, and from there, he moved to work at the Finnish Embassy in Washington, DC, USA.
1997 - 2000
Finnish celebrity Chef Eero Mäkelä offered Kim a position in Kanavaranta restaurant that he had opened with his friend and colleague, Gero Hottingerin only a few years earlier. Kanavaranta was the first celebrity Chef established restaurant that paved the way for others to do the same.
Kim was invited to run Restaurant Suomi and part of his responsibilities was representing Finland in the World Expo in Lissabon, Portugal in 1998. After the expo, Kim returned to Kanavaranta from where his career led to the grand reopening of Hotel Kämp. Later, new challenges awaited in restaurant Strindberg.
2001 - Present
In 2001 Kim worked for Scandic Hotels in Turku and from there he transitioned to Laurea, a higher education institution in Leppävaara, Espoo. Kim was involved in the opening of a new learning environment, Bar Laurea which includes a lunch buffet, à la carte restaurant, café, and meeting and catering services.In 2001 Kim worked for Scandic Hotels in Turku and from there he transitioned to Laurea, a higher education institution in Leppävaara, Espoo. Kim was involved in the opening of a new learning environment, Bar Laurea which includes a lunch buffet, à la carte restaurant, café, and meeting and catering services.
From education, Kim transitioned back to the front lines of the restaurant industry. He took a position as lead strategist in Hanasaari’s Swedish-Finnish cultural center. Major renovations were started in Hanasaari in 2015, so Kim transitioned to full-time entrepreneurship. In addition to Tarinapata Oy, he operated a summer restaurant, Lounas-Hämeen Pirtti, located in Tammela, Häme.
Kim is currently employed for a large industry leader in Finland and continues to be an active player in the food industry, ranging from guest appearances in TV shows like The Deal, to judging in various cooking competitions.