NORDIC BRIGADE — Hospitality Recruitment by Ari Lepisto
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About Ari

I'm a chef first.

Ari Lepisto in an embroidered chef jacket — artistically edited portrait based on his photograph.

I started in Swedish kitchens in 1986 and stayed for fifteen years. In 2002 I moved to Tokyo, where I cooked in embassy kitchens until 2008.

Then came Kendwa Rocks on Zanzibar, and from 2012 to 2019 Afghanistan and Mogadishu with SKA International — feeding people where supply lines are long and conditions are hard, with teams of many nationalities.

From 2024 to 2026 I worked in Lofoten, Norway, and in 2026 in Côte d'Ivoire. Today I use that experience to find the right people for other kitchens.

Africa is my strongest area of practical expertise. I also have a broad contact network in Nairobi, the regional hub for East Africa. My Tokyo experience includes ambassadors' residences, where discretion and high service standards are essential.

A note on the Gulf: I have never run a kitchen there. It is a secondary recruitment market, not a claim of personal kitchen experience.

Highlights

  1. 1986–2001

    Sweden

    Fifteen years in Swedish kitchens, where I learned the trade.

  2. 2002–2008

    Tokyo

    Embassy kitchens — three embassies in Tokyo.

  3. [ADD DATES]

    Zanzibar

    Kendwa Rocks — hotel and resort experience.

  4. 2012–2019

    Afghanistan and Mogadishu

    SKA International — catering in hardship environments, including for the US Government and UN agencies.

  5. 2024–2026

    Lofoten

    Arctic luxury resort, Norway.

  6. 2026

    Côte d'Ivoire

    [ADD DETAILS]

Clients and contracting parties

  • UN WFP & UNDP
  • US Government
  • The Dutch State
  • Air Djibouti & Air Shabelle
  • Embassies
  • Arctic luxury resort

Languages

  • Finnish
  • Swedish
  • English
  • Basic Japanese