I ended up as his project assistance in a Finnish town and over a secret dinner at a Chinese restaurant, our love was sealed, with engagement within a month of meeting. I even studied Chinese language and Sinology at university for fun and met my husband when interviewing for a position in China at an elevator factory.

Since childhood, I was drawn to China and was collecting literature and photo books on Chinese culture, philosophy, literature, politics and geography. As a raw food, vegan chef, I am also immensely excited by the вЂњhealthificationвЂќ trend taking place in culinary epicenters around the world, with big name chefs changing parts of, or even entire menus to plant-based ones. The movement is going beyond weight loss to happiness as a whole. Now, itвЂ™s exciting, because we are on the cusp of change, with increasing numbers of people looking for guidance towards a healthy, mindful lifestyle, as well as being more aware of how they eat in terms of allergy, lifestyle or ethical requirements. I was pitching the вЂњhealthy, cleanвЂќ lifestyle to curious parents and helpers in the playground and the school yard. What excites you most about your industry?ДЄ decade ago my industry was exciting because very few people in Singapore knew what I was talking about. The results were so astounding that I continued learning, then practicing and eventually also training others in the field of holistic therapies and raw, vegan food. After 7 years of work, made up of a stint in the human rights departments of the Finnish Foreign Ministry and NGO work in Finland and Shanghai, my life took a 180 degree turn, as I entered the holistic world of alternative therapies and raw food, to heal myself of a physical, mental and emotional crisis. Since childhood, I was groomed for diplomacy, in alignment with which I got a masters in International Relationships, with a focus on Peace and Conflict Research. Pauliina Salmenhaara is riding the вЂhealthificationвЂ™ wave with her raw food consultancy.

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