I (Aarón, the photographer and social media manager) met Sandra for the first time over 10 years ago, when I was working at another restaurant for the summer. My first impression of her was powerful, and over the years I saw her here and there in Korpo and even worked with her for a while, to the point where we became good friends.
She met William through me, and seeing two good friends start a life in common and grow together has been absolutely incredible for me personally. So, having an interview with Sandra as William's business partner is an absolute honor for me.
Sandra has been an integral part of this crazy adventure we call Hotel Nestor and especially Restaurant Back Pocket for five years now. It is now, at least as it feels to me, that this place has a heart and soul of its own. I am sure that learning the ways of doing things at a place like ours hasn't been easy, and she also has a special perspective on William's evolution in his gastronomic approach. We will get into all of it in this interview.
How long ago you have met William and when you became her business partner?
We met in 2019 and I have been working here full time since summer 2021.
A long time! Do you want to share how did you both met?
I met William for the first time probably when there was an open doors here at Nestor. At the time, Skärgårdshälsan was offering treatments here and I went for acupuncture. Afterwards, there was some light food available, and he was serving his famous carrot and pumpkin soup. When I tried it, I thought, "What is this?" I had never tasted anything like it before. That must have been in spring 2019.
After that, summer arrived and you and I found ourselves working together at Hjalmar's. You knew that I was going through a tough time, but I loved playing music. You told me that you had a group of friends who were always jamming and playing music at the weekends, and you said that I should meet them. I was too shy to accept the invitation, but you insisted so much that one day I said yes, and there he was, playing the guitar. I fell in love with his creativity and personality right away. He invited me to play music with him again in his place, and I thought the whole group would be there, but it turned out that it was just him (laughs joyfully).
There were so many coincidences surrounding the way we met that I believe it was destiny. It was really nice to meet him because, as you know, I was at a really low point, and he too was feeling quite down from working too much and carrying the responsibility of running this place by himself. Neither of us was in a good place, but somehow we lifted each other up.
I know from personal experience that getting used to everything and learning the skills you need for a place like Hotel Nestor, especially Back Pocket, with not much experience in the field, must have been overwhelming. How were your beginnings here?
Of course, it was really hard. Not only was I a worker, but I was together with the person running the business. It wasn't just eight hours a day of work; I also had it at home. It was constantly learning of new things, 24/7.
I also felt extremely uncomfortable. I had only ever worked as an extra in an à la carte restaurant, so it was a big change to come here with all these ingredients, techniques, preparations, and wine pairings. I mean, I had never experienced food like this before. I have also always been really hard on myself, often comparing myself with others working here in the summer who have more experience. I always wanted to give 100%, and I used to put so much pressure on myself. However, after about two years, I realised that you can’t learn everything at once. Since then, I have stopped being so hard on myself and I realised that when I was kinder to myself, I learnt even more. This has really helped me evolve as a person.
And what was most satisfying?
Mainly, succeeding at things I thought I was not capable of doing has been the biggest reward for me. Also, realizing that we are actually capable of having a business together and a relationship has been really rewarding.
Another thing I'm really proud of is always tasting everything William creates. That way, I know how everything should taste, and if another chef is making something I can taste it and guide them when William is not in the kitchen.
It's amazing to have someone like that at your side when you're a chef!
Yes, knowing his signature flavour and pace is important to the whole Back Pocket experience so I can really say that's something I am proud of.
That's great! I've also heard that you've been putting together the whole menu by yourself.
Yes, I've been alone in the kitchen many times before, and I will be again! But I'm not like William he's the mastermind, you know?
The next question you have already touched upon again...
Sandra: Uh, that's really fast! (both laughing loudly)
Being partners both personally and businesswise is something I have myself done, and I know in many ways is not that easy, what is your biggest learning while working with your partner? Is there anything you could recommend to partners in that situation?
No, it's not easy! My recommendation? I would say 'stick to routines and always find time for each other'. For example, make Monday morning a time when you have coffee together and sit there without phones. I think that's important. Having routines helps you not to lose yourself in the stress around you, because that can easily happen when you work seven days a week all the time. Just to take time for your partner, that's the most important lesson I have learned in all these years.
Thank you so much for that! Now we change to food
Let's go!
You have a very unique perspective on the constant change and evolution that William's gastronomy has undergone over the years. What captivates you the most of that evolution?
Is it like? I don't know... he keeps growing and growing and growing, and it feels like he never stops growing, foodwise. Thinking back to when we were serving lunch portions like mashed potatoes and salmon, I mean, it's good, but it's not what we have right here these years later, you know? And for him, it's sometimes even difficult to find the motivation to come up with new ideas, but still, he never stops evolving and never gives up. That's been beautiful to see.
And what is the biggest influences when it comes to evolving and coming with new ideas all the time?
Mainly, all the chefs who work here. They always talk about how William is so humble and open, and they bring their own experiences and motivations, and he learns from and with them all the time. Also, there are the trips we take. Like the time we were in Stockholm for his birthday and booked a table at Farang, an amazing restaurant. We had this Bloody Mary. I asked him, 'Do you think we can make a dessert out of this?' and he was like, "yeah!" and it became not a dessert, but a sorbet at the beginning of the tasting menu.
Yeah, you had that twice. There was a second version of that!
Yes, that's right.
I would say the people around him influence him the most, like Lauri (Lauri Ovaska, sous chef). He is such an influence because he brings freshness and that kind of energy, and William comes with the heavy cream and butter (laughs loudly). They balance each other really, really well, and I am so happy that Lauri is here with us! They work together really well.
And he likes the Gronda app.
What's that?
An app for chefs where they can share their recipes, and it’s like their cave of treasure, where he go digging...
This year's menu is receiving a ton of praises, congrats tot he whole team. What do you think that makes this summer menu so special?
The whole experience, I would say. Thanks to Axel, for example, the entire wine list and the cocktail menu have been elevated, with so many beautiful wines. His passion and expertise have enhanced our experience here at Back Pocket a huge deal, and we are very grateful and happy for that.
The fact that we have a garden in our backyard that provides us with flowers and vegetables has strengthened our commitment to locally sourced food on our menu. Having the source of some of our ingredients closer by helps us to better understand how they are grown, their properties and creates a stronger connection with the dishes we create. It also brings a new and exciting dimension for our guests. They love knowing that some of their food has been grown by our team in our own garden. If they wish and Emma is available, she will give them a tour of the garden, which our guests find fascinating and which adds an extra dimension to our menu. We are so grateful to Emma for taking on this beautiful project and for taking such good care of our garden.
Also, due to the seasonal nature of this location, it can be challenging to recruit the same team each year. However, this year we have been able to bring back almost the same team as last year, which has greatly enhanced the smoothness and quality of the experience. We are extremely proud of our entire team!
As for the food, William and Lauri together are magicians, and the menu is better than ever. I would say the whole experience is better than ever. I don't even know how we keep improving year after year, but it's… LOVE. We don't want to make something mediocre or something we don't stand for, you know?
But is there any dish this summer year that is your favourite?
All of them! I don't like to describe it as a tasting menu, I like to describe it as, in Finnish you would say "maku matka", like "taste experience". It's almost like going on holiday and travelling around, getting all the dishes one after the other. It's an experience, and this year's menu is the best we have ever had.
How do you see both Nestor and Back Pocket evolving in 2 to 3 years?
I would like to see this place being enjoyed all year round, with people getting out and experiencing the beautiful surroundings and gastronomy in winter as well as in summer. We are here in autumn and winter, Korpo is always beautiful, and the food is completely different in winter compared to summer. The atmosphere is also more intimate, and you can dine in the old dining room by candlelight. This would make it easier to balance work and life, and we could focus on creating even more amazing experiences. That's what I'd like to see in the future.
