Mario Johanson

Chef de Cuisine

Mario Johanson has worked as a chef since 2008. For the first 4 years he worked in Pärnu and has been in Tartu since 2012.

Mario has worked in restaurant Polpo since it’s opening. He caught attention as a young and ambitious cook already since his first day and it didn’t take long until he rose to the position of sous-chef in the kitchen. In the last year, he gathered inspiration in Pärnumaa, but he went away only to come back and be ready for nothing less than the role of Chef de Cuisine in Polpo.

Mario took up the position of Chef de Cuisine of Polpo in winter 2016. He was familiar with the team and restaurant, but the ideas were new and goals high. Respecting the local products as we always have and not forgetting the symbolic birthplace of Polpo – Italy, he took a new culinary direction from the South towards the Nordic countries.

His style as the Chef de Cuisine is best characterized by local truths and Scandinavian inspiration. Mario and Polpo also share the idea that charm is often hidden in simplicity.