Restaurant owners to leave Hotel Punkaharju after summer season

Restaurant entrepreneurs Sari Helin and Ilkka Lääveri will close their Metsä restaurant at the historic Hotel Punkaharju after this summer, Finnish broadcaster Yle reports. The decision follows a year of intense workload, health struggles, and mounting stress.

The couple took over the restaurant in the over 180-year-old lakeside hotel just one year ago. Helin told Yle that the first season left little time for rest, with workdays stretching from morning to night. Even weekends at their cottage in Heinävesi—located about 100 kilometres away—were spent handling restaurant paperwork instead of relaxation.

Family life also suffered, as their teenage children rarely visited due to the owners’ relentless schedule. While the restaurant gained recognition, including praise from the international Falstaff dining guide, the pressure to maintain high standards took its toll.

Health issues became a breaking point. Lääveri was hospitalised twice—first in August for severe stomach pain and again in spring for surgery related to a recurring intestinal infection. Though now recovering, he still requires assistance with physical tasks in the kitchen.

“The universe has shown us it’s time to slow down,” Helin said.

The restaurant will operate normally through the summer, after which the couple plans to take time off. However, they insist Metsä’s story isn’t over. While no concrete plans exist yet, Helin hinted at potential new locations, with Kuusamo, Mikkeli, and even Helsinki under consideration. The pair already run Le Ankka, a Helsinki restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide, and are exploring a “companion restaurant” concept in the capital.

Hotel Punkaharju itself recently changed hands, with Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus acquiring the property. The hotel’s accommodation services will continue under Kare Tikka’s management.