Commenting on the appointment of the new Creative Head Chef of Tallink’s fleet, Marko Makke, Tallink Grupp’s Food & Beverage Director, said:

• „Fine culinary experiences are one the main reasons why many of our customers come on board to enjoy a holiday at sea. As times change, so, too, our customers’ food preferences and tastes change. We strive to always offer our customers and foodies unforgettable taste sensations and food journeys when they dine at our onboard restaurants, to walk in step with the latest culinary trends and strive to be even one step ahead of them. 

• Therefore, we are delighted to welcome Joonas in his new group-wide role as he takes over the steering wheel at the helm of our culinary fleet from our legendary and longstanding Head Chef Anti Lepik, who has decided to move on after 24 years of service to take on new professional challenges from the end of November. We are immensely grateful to Anti for his dedication, passion for excellence and his massive contribution into development of Tallink’s food and beverage area. 

• I am certain that Joonas’ high professionalism, experience and creativity will bring new and exciting synergy to our food and beverage area and takes our dining experiences to new horizons, maintaining and developing our culinary excellence on the Baltic Sea.”

The responsibilities of the group-wide creative head chef include developing novel and sustainable food concepts and menus, menu planning on the fleet level, working in close contact with the group concept manager and head chefs of the company’s onboard culinary teams, as well as working closely with suppliers and being the link between Tallink Grupp’s suppliers and the company’s purchasing department. The responsibilities also include leading on the innovation, quality and image management across the fleet’s culinary team, as well as organizing various trainings and other internal and external events necessary to achieve these goals.

Commenting on his appointment, Creative Head Chef of Tallink Grupp, Joonas Maunula, said:

• "I am humbled and honoured to take on new challenges in Tallink Grupp. After many years of sailing on different Tallink and Silja Line vessels as part of the culinary team, it has been a great journey that now took on a new bearing."

Joonas Maunula has a vocational degree in catering from Pargas Yrkesskola in Turku, Finland (2002)  and a degree in management from Finnish Institute of Marketing in Helsinki (2017).