This post is an informative journalistic coverage of a PR event with editorial & reportage elements that do not aim to promote any business, organisation, product or service.
Today - on the day of publication- I am a member of Ruokatoimittajat ry (Finnish Food Writers' Association), and attended this PR event as a food writer (not as an influencer).
29 September 2025 - Helsinki
My fellow food writers and I gathered at LaBra restaurant, where Head Chef Serpil Yilmaz opened not only her kitchen but also her story.
Born on the Aegean coast of Turkey, Serpil grew up surrounded by the scent of sun-dried peppers, markets full of herbs, and the rhythm of meals shared around crowded tables. In Helsinki, she layers those memories onto local ingredients: Finnish fish, seasonal vegetables, and bright summer berries. The result is Mediterranean-Nordic fusion: generous, flavourful, and made for sharing.
“It’s not Turkish food, and not fine dining either,” Serpil smiled. “It’s about feeling cosy, putting food in the middle of the table, and enjoying the company. That’s how I grew up eating, and that’s what LaBra is about.”
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Before the first tasting bites arrived, we were joined by Ville Pyykönen of Compass Group, who also won the Product Developer of the Year award in Finland. Ville shared insights on how responsibility and creativity go hand in hand in modern kitchens. He also spoke about the daily work behind sustainable menu planning, from sourcing to serving, and how responsible choices start long before a dish reaches the plate.
Menus are designed to minimise waste. Seasonal and local ingredients take priority. Suppliers are selected for transparency and fair practices. Even the recipes themselves are designed to balance flavour with footprint through hybrid concepts that blend proteins, grains, and vegetables into lighter, more sustainable meals.
“Responsibility starts with procurement,” Ville explained. “It’s about how ingredients are grown, transported, and used. Every choice adds up.”
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Then came the moment the whole room had been waiting for. Instead of a formal presentation, Serpil led a Mix Your Own Spices workshop - guiding us through her personal spice library, a colourful archive of scent and memory.
There was sumac, “like lemon for us,” she said - bright and tart, lifting salads and fish. Za’atar, nutty and herbaceous and often baked into soft bread. Cumin, quiet and grounding in hummus. Dry mint, cooling and clean, brings balance to yoghurt and greens. And finally, red pepper flakes, sun-dried by her mother in Turkey - carried across borders in jars of love.
“These are not just spices,” Serpil said. “They are memories. Every pinch tells where I come from.”
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
The tasting menu captured that philosophy perfectly. It opened with simit, the iconic Turkish sesame bread ring - a symbol of hospitality, and pide, the flatbread baked for sharing during gatherings. The trio of dips followed: creamy hummus with sundried tomato, tangy labneh with green pepper jam, and a silky goat cheese whipped with pistachio, basil, and Finnish honey.
Then came garden tomatoes with Tulum cheese and cherry, a marriage of Finnish freshness and Anatolian depth, and beef tartare wrapped in vine leaves, spiced with bulgur - as much a gesture of welcome as a dish. Grilled broccoli reminded everyone how simple vegetables can shine, while LaBra Fish Kofta made with Finnish fish, saffron, and grapefruit, embodied Serpil’s Mediterranean-Nordic fusion in one elegant bite. A dried fig porridge symbolised abundance, and a strawberry cake, the jewel of Finnish summer, closed the evening with a familiar touch of sweetness.
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Photo by © Reka Csulak - Three Pod Studio
Each bite spoke of roots and reinvention, of cultural bridges built through food. The warmth of Mediterranean generosity met the freshness of Nordic restraint, and the result felt both new and deeply comforting.
“Food is important,” Serpil said as we lingered over dessert, “but it’s never the most important thing. Good company makes every meal taste better.”
And that’s exactly what LaBra delivers: a shared memory at a table where responsibility and flavour sit side by side.
I appreciate the invitation and the opportunity to meet and learn directly from Serpil Yilmaz - Head Chef, Sami Salminen - Restaurant Manager, Ville Pyykönen - Senior Gastronomy & Food Development Specialist, Siiri Sintonen - Communications Specialist, and all Compass Group representatives who provided great insights into LaBra's hospitality concept in the heart of Helsinki today.
You can see more insights and photos on my Instagram.
DISCLOSURE
The organiser has not set any special criteria and has not initiated any financial/alternative compensation that would require the creation of any written or visual content related to this PR event nor the promotion of any products/services in exchange for attendance - but I decided to share my experience anyway as I think you'd enjoy exclusive insights from my recent gastro adventure. Any PR products/samples/food, drink/services/raffle prizes handed out by the organisers, other participants or exhibitors (if applicable) were not a form of compensation, nor part of an exchange agreement.
❗️Remember to drink responsibly, and that you must be over the minimum legal drinking age of your country. ❗️
