Catching up with Denis Aliaksiuk, Tulevaisuuden Toivo 2024

In 2024, Medanta organized the first Les Amis campaign, which also included the first Tulevaisuuden Toivo scholarship. Denis Aliaksiuk was chosen as the recipient of the award. Denis stood out from the crowd especially with his attitude and motivation to develop as a restaurant professional. Two years after receiving the award, we decided to find out what Denis is up to now and what his path in the restaurant industry has been like.

Competitions add fuel to the flames

Denis has boldly built his path from unconventional starting points. Denis's story in the restaurant industry began with a determined decision to move to Finland after completing high school in his native Belarus. 

"My family and I had a plan that I would come to Finland right after high school. I started studying Finnish 2 years before moving here."

The study path at Omnia opened up right from the first attempt, and through it the doors to the restaurant industry and industry competitions, where Denis quickly found his passion. Teachers Sami Kirjonen and Daniel Strömberg supported him from the beginning and created an environment where ambition and courage went hand in hand.

Competitions have been significant milestones for Denis. He has had time to hone his skills in, among others, the Finnish Young Chefs Championship, the Mestarikoulu and the Taitaja competition. He encourages young students in the field to participate in them because they show passion and make a difference in the eyes of employers. 

According to him, awards are not the goal but the fuel: "If you don't have a flame yet, competitions help to light it, and if that flame already exists, you can add more fuel to the flames. Competitions give direction and reinforce the feeling that you are on the right path. In my case, the Tulevaisuuden Toivo recognition gave me more self-confidence and momentum to move forward."

What has happened since receiving the award?

“It feels like a huge amount of time has passed since I received the award,” Denis begins.

He has continued his studies in Haaga-Helia in food production management. Alongside his studies, he works in the kitchen of The Grand Bar & Grill restaurant, which is known as a high-quality meat restaurant and internationally recognized as one of the 100 best grill restaurants in the world.

Art, people and food

Denis is part of a generation that is taking the restaurant industry forward and wants to develop its own image. Denis is inspired by people and art. He is currently working on his thesis related to his studies at Haaga-Helia, where food, film and music combine to create a multi-sensory dinner. The idea came from a film experience that made him think about what a restaurant experience could be.

A dream project lives strongly in Denis' heart. Denis dreams of creating a restaurant experience where restaurant and theater merge into one. One large table, changing themes, strong visuals and music would create a space where everyday life is left outside the door. The idea could be realized in pop-up form or as part of a larger whole. The most important thing is experiential and bold action.

“I have many versions of my dream restaurant, almost all of them combined with art,” Denis outlines.

The restaurant industry also needs appreciation from outside the industry

The appreciation of the restaurant industry is a theme that Denis often returns to. According to him, it is easy to enter the industry, but difficult to stay. External appreciation affects pay, working hours and coping. However, Denis sees that a change is underway in the industry.

Young chefs are taking care of their well-being, setting boundaries and building a kitchen culture where respect is earned through actions and not age. There is no more shouting in the kitchen and although the working days are long, there are restaurants, some restaurants keep their doors open 3–4 days a week.

Workwear is also very important to Denis in the kitchen. He values clothes that are both functional and good-looking. Fit, comfort and personality support work and strengthen identity. Denis has also shared with Medanta his own ideas for unique workwear, which he hopes to implement in his own restaurant one day.

Purposeful accumulation of work experience

This year, in addition to the Tulevaisuuden Toivo award, Medanta will also award one teacher with the Tulevaisuuden Taustavoima award, which aims to highlight the important role of teachers and mentors as part of building a professional path.

The role of mentors also comes to the fore in journey of Denis. In his opinion, a good teacher and mentor sets standards, guides in the right direction and also teaches humility. Denis emphasizes that the restaurant industry is changing rapidly and teachers need to be in touch with today's working world. Encouraging and present guidance can change the direction of an entire career.

“Even bad experiences and encounters teach us if we decide to learn from them. At least you can learn what kind of person you don't want to be,” Denis summarizes.

One of the most important turning points for him was his internship at the now-closed restaurant Ora, run by Sasu Laukkonen, where he worked full-time alongside other staff for the joy of learning. Denis highlights the importance of Laukkonen as a mentor. Through him, Denis learned not only technical skills, but also attitude, humanity and respect for his own work.

“Because I am an immigrant, I have had to be humble, but find ways to stand out,” Denis reflects.

Where will we see Denis in 5 years?

Denis stops and reflects on his dreams: “I hope I get Finnish citizenship by then. I hope that in five years I could start my own business or work in a nice place with good people. At the moment I would be interested in working at the restaurant Olo .” Denis believes that when you think about things and work purposefully, your subconscious mind guides you towards your goals.

Denis is a true example of courage, perseverance and the desire to build a better restaurant industry. He represents a generation that combines professionalism, creativity and well-being. We look forward to following his journey in the restaurant industry. 

The Les Amis campaign

• Les Amis is a statement by Medanta that shows its love for the ”amis” in the food industry; the up and coming and those who are already in the workforce.
• Les Amis is French and means friends. In Finland, vocational school students are affectionately called "amislaisi" (friends).
• The 2024 Les Amis – Long Live Profesionalism campaign was the first statement in favor of the value and importance of vocational education.
• The 2026 Les Amis campaign invites everyone to join in building a working life where there is a place for everyone – regardless of background.