The triumph is an indication of the high-quality restaurant services at Helsinki Airport and reinforces its position as an airport offering world-class services.
The annual FAB Awards is an international food and beverage awards programme, which includes a category that recognises restaurant operators at airports and railway stations for successful and creative restaurant and café concepts.
The 2017 FAB Awards Show was held in Toronto on 22nd June. Helsinki Airport’s commercial food and beverage services was shortlisted in four different competition categories but it was the enviable WOW award that was given out to the Pier Zero.
“The restaurant services at Helsinki Airport have experienced a major transformation in recent years. We’ve have paid special attention to quality issues, such as the freshness and domestic origin of raw materials, cooperation with local producers, and the diversity of the selection. The recognition is an indication of us developing the services in the right direction in cooperation with our operators,” says Elena Stenholm, Vice President of Commercial Services at Helsinki Airport.
The jury's criteria for Helsinki Airport’s recognition focused precisely on Pier Zero’s iconic offer. The restaurant is an architectonic uniqueness in two floors with a café, bar and an À la carte restaurant with a Scandinavian twist. The restaurant was designed by a Swiss Detail Design GmbH and is operated by HMSHost Finland Oy.
“Although our airport is growing and internationalising, its Finnish character remains at the core of everything. This is visible not only the restaurants’ and cafés’ raw materials and their origin, but in the interiors and design of their premises. Iconic Finnish brands, such as Iittala, Marimekko and Artek, are nicely showcased in the fabrics, furniture and tableware of our numerous restaurant service points,” says Stenholm.
Helsinki Airport and its range of restaurant and café services made it to the finals of 2017 FAB Awards Show in four other categories as well. Wine & View was nominated as the Airport Wine Bar of the Year. Restaurants Pier Zero and Fly Inn were shortlisted for the Airport Upscale Dining Restaurant of the Year. In addition, Finavia was nominated for the Airport Food & Beverage Reflecting ‘Sense of Place’ of the Year and for the Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year.
Nor has success been a stranger in previous years: in 2016, Helsinki Airport's Wine & View bar operated by SPP Finland Oy won the Airport Wine Bar of the Year category, while the airport’s range of food and beverage services was recognised for its creditable transformation. Rovaniemi Airport’s Rovaniemi Café also made it to finals last year.
In 2018 the FAB Awards will be organized for the very first time Finland by Moodie International Ltd in co-operation with Finavia.
