Hans Välimäki’s new restaurants Säm and Masu made an eco statement: they’re now cooking with Finnish renewable biogas

Opened in Helsinki in August 2017, Hans Välimäki's restaurants Säm and Masu have now switched to cooking in their kitchens with Finnish biogas produced by Gasum. Biogas was chosen for its environmental friendliness and because it is produced in Finland. The biogas is supplied to the restaurants by Suomen kaasuenergia.

Hans Välimäki’s new Helsinki restaurants Säm and Masu are now cooking with Finnish biogas. Opened at Eteläesplanadi 22 in August last year, Säm’s menu features sushi, salads, ramen, buns, pho and especially many vegetarian dishes. At the same address, Masu’s menu features fusion Asian flavors and there is also a private restaurant downstairs in the basement.

Vespa restaurant, which was earlier at the same address, used natural gas for cooking. The new restaurants decided to switch over to using Finnish biogas because it is renewable, environmentally friendly energy that is produced in Finland.

“We chose biogas because it is a modern ecological choice. We think it’s important to be a leader in our business and we know that the ethical approach and ecology of our operations also mean a lot to our customers. We think responsibility is important and this is also reflected in what we do, such as favoring ecologically-produced ingredients that can be easily traced to their origin,” explains Hans Välimäki.

Dozens of restaurants in Helsinki already use biogas

There are currently dozens of Helsinki restaurants that use biogas either for heating, cooking or for both. Using biogas in a restaurant kitchen is an eco-friendly statement.

”Biogas can be made from the fat recovered from grease traps in restaurants and from biowaste originating in cooking. Restaurants can use biogas for cooking and heating, for example. It’s a smart move by the catering industry to increasingly swich to circular economy solutions,” says Max Miilakangas, Sales Manager at Gasum.

Gasum’s biogas plants in Finland are in Huittinen, Honkajoki, Kuopio, Oulu, Riihimäki, Turku and Vehmaa. In addition, Gasum produces biogas with partners in Espoo, Kouvola and Lahti. A Finnish biofuel produced from fully renewable raw materials, Gasum’s biogas has been awarded both the Made in Finland Key Flag Symbol and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel.

For further information, please contact:

Max Miilakangas, Sales Manager, Gasum Ltd
tel. +358 40 068 6814, firstname.surname(a)gasum.com

Miika Lönn, Head Chef, Masu/Säm Helsinki
puh. 040 595 9757, miika.lonn(a)ravintola.fi

The energy company Gasum is a Finnish gas sector (natural gas and biogas) expert that is building a bridge to a carbon-neutral society on land and at sea.
Säm Asian Bar & Kitchen ja Masu Asian Bistro are relaxed Asian restaurants in Helsinki and piloted by Hans Välimäki since 2017. They offer modern, but easy-going Asian flavors, adpated to Finnish taste. The restaurants are owned by Restamax Plc, a Finnish restaurant business group established in 1996. Restamax Plc operates over 130 restaurants, cafés, pubs and nightclubs throughout Finland. Restamax Plc employs around 2,000 people depending on the season. The turnover for 2016 was €130.1m and the EBITDA was €19.4m. Restamax is the first public company in the restaurant field in Finland. Restamax’s subsidiary Smile Henkilöstöpalvelut Oy employs around 8,000 people each month. www.restamax.fi, www.ravintola.fi

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