Passionate soul providing fuel for success
Bruun & Hjejle is a law firm filled with great personalities, and the ground-floor canteen is no exception. Here, 55-year-old Nina Rossi heads a well-oiled machine that not only provides fuel for the employees in the form of healthy and sustainable food but also nurtures the culture and the general good atmosphere at the firm.
Nina Rossi has managed the kitchen at Bruun & Hjejle for twelve years. Over that period, she has cemented her position as an important figure within the entire organisation. Over the years, her area of responsibility has expanded to also include reception and facility management.
It is no coincidence that the head chef demonstrates her skills not only in the canteen.
When asked about what drives her, Nina’s eyes sparkles as she describes her joy of seeing the organisation interact and succeed as a unit across all departments – with food, service, furniture and advisory services coming together perfectly – for employees and clients alike.
“I guess I am the type that gets bored quite easily, which is why I constantly seek out new areas to be optimised. This has gradually evolved into our services as a whole and our general efforts in the field of sustainability. I am pleased to be one of the driving forces in this extremely interesting field,” says Nina Rossi.
Fuel driving successful performance – and a few bumps in the road
During her time as head chef, Nina Rossi has made many decisions about the food served at the law firm. From her first day in the job, she introduced both breakfast and evening meals in the canteen.
The canteen’s extended opening hours received a very warm welcome. However, not all initiates were as popular.
Green cuisine has always been one the head chef’s specialities, and she therefore wanted to make more room for vegetarian dishes in the buffet. And in 2017, she decided to introduce a regular meat-free day.
“I became a bit unpopular. I received many comments on my decision, but I did not budge, and now there is a whole different attitude. Many employees are very pleased with our wide selection of vegetarian food, and that makes me proud,” she says.
In 2021, Nina Rossi and the rest of the kitchen team have successfully focused on cutting down on food waste. Food waste and sustainability will also be on the agenda for 2022, Nina Rossi emphasises.
“Employees should expect to see new green initiatives in the kitchen this year. But I will not reveal them. I am hoping that most employees will not even notice,” she laughs.
The kitchen should be a haven. Nina Rossi is very aware that she cooks for people who must perform at a high level and are often very busy.
Quote by Nina Rossi
We put a lot of effort into creating a haven in the canteen, and we see shoulders relax and people unwinding when they pop in to say hello.
“It is important to me to be able to provide a haven for the employees,” she explains, pointing out that the brief conversations with happy employees motivate the entire kitchen team to go the extra mile.
Nina finally emphasises that her prime mission at Bruun & Hjejle is to serve good nutritious food and that everyone is met with a smile and kindness.
”Ultimately, it probably comes down to making people proud of working at Bruun & Hjejle, and if I can contribute to that, I will be happy and content when I finish my working day."
Read the article on Nina and many more articles in Bruun & Hjejle's annual report 2021 here (in Danish).